Is PE pipe suitable for potable water applications?

Polyethylene pipeline systems for drinking water supply 

Polyethylene pipeline systems have been used by our customers for drinking water supply since their introduction in the 1950s. The plastics industry has taken great responsibility in ensuring that the products used do not adversely affect water quality.

The range of tests undertaken on PE pipes normally covers taste, odour, appearance of water, and tests for growth of aquatic micro-organisms. This is a more extensive range of tests than is currently applied to traditional pipe materials, such as metals and cement and cement lined products, in most European countries. Thus there is a greater confidence that PE pipe can be used for potable water supply under most operating conditions.

Regulations and test methods for plastic PE water pipes

In Europe plastic pipes for drinking water are tested rigorously by each EU Member State. The raw materials suppliers' association ( Plastics Europe ) has long advocated using food contact plastics for drinking water applications, because food contact laws are the most stringent to safeguard consumers' health and use toxicological evaluations as required in the guidelines of the European Commission's Scientific Committee for Food (one of the committees of the EU Food Standards Agency). Denmark, for example, uses food contact legislation and uses additional safety criteria. The Danish drinking water standard is one of the most onerous in Europe. In North America approval is obtained through ANSI NSF. Approval of PE100 for potable water application has been granted in all countries. 

PE100 pipe compounds should be formulated for use in potable water applications. Moreover PE100 pipe can be manufactured from either blue or black compound with blue stripes identifying it as suitable for use in potable water applications.

Further information regarding approval for potable water use can be obtained from the pipe manufacturer if required.

 our EU Member States (France, UK, Netherlands and Germany, later joined by Denmark) intiatied the 4MS Scheme to harmonise their regulations. The four Nordic coutries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) created a similar initiative, Nordic MAiD. Both these initiatives remain at the draft stage so regulations continue to be at national levels.

The European Commission published a revised Drinking Water Directive (DWD) in 2020. One of its key features is harmonisation of the quality standards for materials and products in contact with water. At present it is up to each Member State to set its own requirements, there is no harmonisation of the requirements in Europe, nor is there mutual recognition. The EU Member States have  implemented regulations including certification programs at national level resulting in different national laws, assessment criteria and test specifications. Harmonisation under the new DWD is in progress. More information can be found at:  European Drinking Water | European Drinking Water

Plastic pipes for drinking water are tested rigorously by each EU Member State. The raw materials suppliers' association ( Plastics Europe ) has long advocated using food contact plastics for drinking water applications, because food contact laws are the most stringent to safeguard consumers' health and use toxicological evaluations as required in the guidelines of the European Commission's Scientific Committee for Food (one of the committees of the EU Food Standards Agency). Denmark, for example, uses food contact legislation and uses additional safety criteria. The Danish drinking water standard is one of the most onerous in Europe.

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