Abstract

On January 1, 2023, NSF will implement lower extractable limits for certain components in NSF/ANSI/CAN Std. 61/600. This paper will discuss the impact that the change to the extractable limits in NSF Standard 61 will have on facility owners, contractors and specifying engineers. By now, most in the water industry have heard about the new lower extractable limits will take effect on January 1, 2023; but there is significant uncertainty among tank owners and specifying engineers as to how this new standard will impact the coating of water tanks in the near term and future. This paper will analyze how these changes will impact current technology and legacy tank coatings and discuss the use of ultra-high solids coating technology to comply with these standards. While this paper will address the technological impacts of this standard, it will also address the practical considerations related to tank owners and specifiers. This paper will clear up confusion and misunderstanding in the tank painting industry regarding the impact of the new NSF 600 standard.

Introduction

In 1984 the US EPA issued a Request for Proposals to select a provider to privatize the approval of products and components used in water distribution systems across the United States. A team which was led by NSF International and included the American Water Works Association Research Foundation, the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, the Conference of State Health and Environmental Managers, and the American Water Works Association was awarded the contract to develop the standard.

In 1988, NSF/ANSI 61: Drinking Water System Components — Health Effects was published as a result of the work of this team. This standard established minimum requirements for the control of potential adverse human health effects from products that contact drinking water and has been updated regularly since then to add testing criteria for additional contaminants and product types.

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