The quality of drinking water is strongly influenced by the drinking water installation, and the chosen pipework. For this reason, legislators have tightened the regulations for drinking water in recent years and extended the quality parameters with regard to health and hygiene aspects right down to the last tapping point.
The most common heavy metal discussed in drinking water is lead. In the past, lead pipes and connectors were installed in buildings. They are still there in some old buildings, so if there is a suspicion of lead pipes, an experienced installer should be called to check the site.

In addition to its historical use in pipelines, lead was often added to copper alloys for the manufacture of components. It ensures good chip breaking during the machining of fittings and faucets and allows for particularly pressure-tight components in the sand-casting process.
However, even very small amounts of lead in drinking water can be harmful to health. Unborn babies, infants and small children are particularly at risk, as their nervous system, brain and haematopoiesis can be affected. This is why legislators have continuously tightened the limit values for lead concentrations in drinking water in recent decades.

Lead-free materials should always be used for installations in new buildings and when renovating existing systems to ensure sustainability. This serves as a preventive measure against stricter thresholds for lead emissions expected in the future. It also ensures that lead does not re-enter the material cycle and the recycling process. This requirement has already become standard in many common consumer goods, such as in the electrical and automotive industries – just think of unleaded petrol.
Until now, however, there has been no lead-free version of the classic gunmetal material with all its positive properties. This gap is now being closed by the new material RG+ (CuSn4Zn2PS). After years of intensive development, this lead-free material achieves the corrosion properties of the copper-tin-zinc alloy. The new alloy is not only suitable for installations in Germany but has also been optimised for European drinking water.

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