New Drinking Water System Design Futureproofing new drinking water installations
EU drinking water legislation is moving toward tighter pollutant limits and stricter hygiene requirements for materials in contact with drinking water. These developments give UK contractors an opportunity to select systems that support long-term compliance and efficient installation.
Changes to drinking water legislation in the EU could influence how drinking water systems are designed and specified in the future. With tighter limits for certain pollutants and new hygiene requirements for materials that come into contact with drinking water, the changes provide an opportunity for UK contractors to consider how material choices made today could support future-ready installations.
The European Commission has updated the 1998 Drinking Water Directive, introducing stricter standards for materials that come into contact with drinking water. One example is lead, where the acceptable level has been halved from the current maximum of 10 µg/L at the tap to 5 µg/L.
An ‘EU Positive List’ will also come into force from December 2026, setting hygiene requirements for materials including pipes and fittings. For lead-containing alloys such as copper, brass, bronze and gunmetal, the list specifies a maximum of 0.1% weight/weight for lead.
New products will need to comply from December 2026, with a transition period running until the end of 2032. New hallmarks specifically addressing drinking water requirements are also expected to reach the market in 2028.
While these are EU changes, similar legislation has already been introduced in Australia. For contractors working on commercial developments designed to operate for decades, this raises questions about whether material choices should anticipate where drinking water standards could be heading.
Lead has traditionally been used in plumbing components, particularly brass and some copper fittings, where it improves machinability during manufacturing. However, growing understanding of the health impacts of lead exposure has prompted greater focus on reducing lead in products used for drinking water distribution.
For commercial buildings such as schools, hospitals, residential towers, offices and public facilities, decisions made during construction can have long-term implications. These buildings may be expected to operate for 30, 40 or even 50 years, increasing the importance of whole-life performance, sustainability and future maintenance.
Specifying lead-free drinking water systems in the UK can therefore be viewed as a way of reducing future risk. If UK regulations eventually move in a similar direction, buildings already using lead-free systems may be less likely to require costly remedial work or component replacement.
Material selection is not based on compliance alone. Contractors must also consider installation speed, labour availability, reliability and programme pressures.
Modern press-fit systems have helped simplify commercial installations by removing the need for hot works and reducing installation times. Geberit FlowFit, for example, is designed for potable water applications and uses lead-free fittings throughout the system.
Its pressing technology uses two pressing jaws across dimensions from d16 to d75, reducing the need for frequent tool changes. Smaller diameters can also be bent by hand due to the pipe’s multilayer construction. A 2025 BSRIA time and motion study found that FlowFit installations could be completed up to 274% faster than traditional press-fit systems in certain applications.
There is no suggestion that existing commercial drinking water systems need replacing simply because regulations are changing elsewhere. Existing installations will continue to operate safely within current UK regulations.
For new projects, however, changing standards provide an opportunity to consider future requirements alongside immediate compliance. Selecting lead-free systems such as Geberit FlowFit can support this approach while also delivering installation efficiencies and long-term confidence in the finished system.
Future-proofing is ultimately less about predicting exactly what regulation will come next and more about selecting solutions that are ready for it when it arrives.
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