Welcome to California...now take your lead and get out!

Jimbo

Jimbo

Plumber
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The new lead law is more draconian than we had expected. Among items banned are brass bibb screws, sharkbites, chrome plated angle stops, water lines with brass nuts, ball valves, PRV, etc. Most of these have replacements available now or coming soon, made from a different alloy of brass. New stuff is $$+50%
 
Ca

You realize, of course, that they would really prefer that you go back to outhouses, front yard pitcher pumps, and heating water in pots on a wood stove. That way they would eliminate all brass problems, along with all the other inconveniences and hazards that modern plumbing has caused.
 
AB 1953 is a mess. Besides being Draconian, the law is unclear and much will be determined in the courts. Beyond the items mentioned are goofy things like brass water meters are OK but brass meter nipples are not. Then there is the issue of faucets, expect to see some real garbage on the market - Delta's 100 DST leaps to mind. What about repair parts, for example, are replacement stems exempt or are all pre 2010 valves now throwaway items (thank God tub/shower valves seem to be exempt). Galvanized pipe, nipples and fittings may also be an issue, there is lead in the coating. The list goes on and on.

Lead is certainly an issue, at least in areas where it is leached out rather than being oxidized over, but what will it be replaced with? Last time lead levels were reduced many manufacturers replaced it with bismuth, was that an improvement or step sideways? The jury is still out on many plastics, some linked to health problems. I see much leaping and little looking.

On the economic side, retailers and wholesalers are stuck with items they cannot sell or have to ship to branches out of state. Many items are currently unavailable. Sellers are going to financially impacted, especially small retailers. And California is doing this right at a time when their economy is in the dumpster.
 
jimbo said:
The new lead law is more draconian than we had expected. Among items banned are brass bibb screws, sharkbites, chrome plated angle stops, water lines with brass nuts, ball valves, PRV, etc. Most of these have replacements available now or coming soon, made from a different alloy of brass. New stuff is $$+50%
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That's absurd....
 
asktom said:
What about repair parts, for example, are replacement stems exempt or are all pre 2010 valves now throwaway items (thank God tub/shower valves seem to be exempt.
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Repair parts are NOT exempt. All old brass cartridges are now banned. For the common ones, they are scrambling to make new ones out of no-lead brass. Many less common ones will not be available. Replacement kitchen faucet spouts are banned. Doubtful that any replacements will be available.


My info is that Kohler and American Standard will make ALL their faucets CA. It seems that Delta and PP and Moen are leaning that way.
 
jimbo said:
My info is that Kohler and American Standard will make ALL their faucets CA. It seems that Delta and PP and Moen are leaning that way.
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Unfortunately, the insanity that is common in CA spills out to the rest of the country. I can't wait until we can spend a day in Arizona Bay.
 
Ca

Or visit Sacramento, (or may L.A.), the capital of the nation of California. How does President Arnold sound? I am sure that if CA wanted to secede, few people would want to go to war to stop them.
 
hj said:
Or visit Sacramento, (or may L.A.), the capital of the nation of California. How does President Arnold sound? I am sure that if CA wanted to secede, few people would want to go to war to stop them.
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We are pushing for San Diego to secede from CA, but it is a long struggle~!
 
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