Certifications & Compliance

WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) is the UK mandatory certification scheme for any fitting or component in contact with potable water. It is a legal requirement under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 — not optional. Brassland does not currently hold WRAS approval. If you require WRAS-approved fittings for a UK potable water application, you should source from a supplier with current WRAS approval or work with us to understand whether a custom-manufactured part to your drawing can be submitted for WRAS testing (lead time typically 3–6 months).

How to verify any supplier's WRAS claim: Legitimate WRAS-approved products have a traceable approval number (8-digit format). All approvals are publicly searchable on the WRAS database at wras.co.uk/products/. Search by manufacturer name or approval number — the listed approval must match the exact product specification: alloy, size, pressure rating, and fitting type. Be aware that some suppliers claim WRAS approval based on a certificate that covers a different product line or has lapsed.

What WRAS approval means: the product has been independently tested by a WRAS-approved test house (to BS 6920) confirming it doesn't adversely affect water quality (taste, odour, microbial growth) and meets mechanical performance requirements. Approvals must be renewed periodically and are subject to ongoing surveillance testing.

NSF/ANSI 61 is the North American benchmark for materials in contact with drinking water. It doesn't certify a product as lead-free — it certifies that the level of lead (and other contaminants) leaching from the material into the water is below the threshold that would pose a public health risk. Understanding this distinction matters when you're specifying for different US states.

The federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires NSF 61 compliance for any product that comes in contact with drinking water in public water systems. All 50 US states technically require it, but enforcement varies. California's AB1953 and NSF/ANSI 372 go further — they define "lead-free" as a weighted average lead content of no more than 0.25% for wetted surfaces. This is what most people mean when they say "California-compliant" or "low-lead."

Brassland does not currently hold NSF 61 certification. For customers supplying the US or Canadian potable water market, products must be sourced from NSF 61-certified manufacturers, or the importer must arrange NSF 61 testing for the specific product. We manufacture custom components to drawing — if your application requires NSF 61, please discuss at the RFQ stage. We can supply low-lead alloys (CW724R, bismuth brass) suitable for NSF 61 testing, and can support a certification programme if volumes justify it.

For commercial and industrial applications (compressed air, gas, hydraulics) that don't involve potable water, NSF 61 is irrelevant — you don't need it and shouldn't pay a premium for it. Spec for your application, not for compliance theatre.

CE marking on brass fittings covers multiple regulatory pathways depending on the product type and pressure rating. Understanding which directive applies to your product is more useful than just knowing the CE mark exists.

Brassland does not hold CE marking or issue CE Declarations of Performance as standard. We manufacture custom precision parts to customer drawings and specifications — CE marking obligations typically rest with the EU-based manufacturer or importer who places the finished product on the EU market. Here is what each directive covers so you can understand your obligations:

Construction Products Regulation (CPR 305/2011) applies to fittings used in permanent construction — plumbing, gas pipework, heating systems. These require a Declaration of Performance (DoP) and CE marking against the relevant harmonised standard (typically EN 13828 for copper alloy fittings). The obligation is on the entity placing the product on the EU market. Pressure Equipment Directive (PED 2014/68/EU) applies to pressure-containing equipment above certain pressure-volume thresholds. Most standard plumbing fittings fall below the PED threshold or in Category I — which means they are outside PED scope or require only internal production control. ATEX (2014/34/EU) is relevant if fittings are used in explosive atmospheres — brass is intrinsically non-sparking and may be suitable, but the system designer must confirm the full ATEX classification. If your customers or importers need a CE Declaration of Conformity for components we supply, discuss this at the RFQ stage — we can provide the technical documentation needed to support your own declaration.

These are the two key European standards for finished copper-alloy fittings. Brassland machines components to your drawing — we do not place CE-marked finished fittings on the market — but understanding them helps, because your finished product is certified to them and we can machine to their dimensional and material requirements.

EN 13828 is the product standard for copper alloy and copper fittings used in copper tube-based plumbing installations. It specifies: chemical composition ranges for the alloys permitted in potable water service, mechanical properties (tensile strength, hardness), pressure/temperature performance requirements, dimensional tolerances for specific fitting geometries, and marking requirements. Where a finished fitting is CE marked, EN 13828 is typically the harmonised standard cited — but that marking is placed by the party putting the finished product on the EU market, not by Brassland. It answers the question: "Is this fitting made of an acceptable material and does it perform adequately in a water service context?"

EN 1254 is a series (Parts 1 through 5) covering dimensional and performance requirements for specific fitting types: Part 1 — capillary solder fittings; Part 2 — compression fittings for copper tube; Part 3 — compression fittings for plastic pipe; Part 4 — compression fittings for copper and plastic pipe combined; Part 5 — short connectors. It answers: "What are the dimensions, tolerances, and test procedures for this type of connection?" We machine compression-fitting components to the dimensions of EN 1254-2; certification and performance testing of the finished fitting are the buyer's responsibility.

These are finished-product standards that require third-party testing to maintain compliance — testing arranged by the party placing the finished product on the market. For the components we machine we supply EN 10204 3.1 material certificates and dimensional reports; we do not certify or type-test finished fittings.

ISO 9001 gets misrepresented constantly. Buyers either treat it as a magic stamp that guarantees quality, or cynics dismiss it as a wall decoration. Neither is accurate. Let me tell you what it actually does for your orders.

ISO 9001:2015 from an accredited certification body (ours is DQS) means that an independent auditor — not us — has verified that our quality management system meets a specific international standard for process control, traceability, corrective action, and continual improvement. The audit happens annually at minimum, with a major re-certification every three years. If we drop below standard, we lose the cert.

What this means for your purchase order: every production run has a documented process that controls material input verification, in-process inspection points and frequencies, final inspection criteria and measurement methods, non-conformance handling and quarantine procedures, and traceability from raw material heat number to finished goods lot. When we issue a Certificate of Conformity, it is backed by production records retained for a minimum of 10 years.

What ISO 9001 does not guarantee: zero defects, on-time delivery in every scenario, or performance beyond the design specifications of the product itself. Any supplier who uses their ISO cert as a substitute for transparent performance data (defect rates, DPPM, OTD%) is hiding behind the badge. We can share current production performance data on request for supplier qualification.

Yes, always. A CoC is not optional — it's table stakes for any serious industrial or construction supply chain. Here's exactly what ours contains and why each element matters to you.

Our Certificate of Conformity includes: Purchase order and line item reference for direct traceability to your procurement records. Product description — fitting type, alloy designation (e.g., CW617N), nominal size, applicable standard (e.g., EN 13828, EN 1254-2). Quantity and lot number — the lot number links to our internal production records which retain raw material heat certs, in-process inspection data, and final inspection results. Applicable certification references — ISO 9001 certificate reference, RoHS/REACH declaration reference, and any other applicable certification documentation as relevant to the specific product. Test declaration — confirming the goods were manufactured and tested in accordance with the referenced standards, with deviations (if any) listed. Authorised signatory — a named and titled individual within our QA team, not a rubber stamp.

We do not issue generic batch CoCs that cover ten different products under one document. Each PO line gets its own traceable CoC. This matters at audit time — your quality team should be able to take any fitting from your warehouse and trace it back to our production records within one document chain.

For customers who require PPAP Level 3 documentation packages, we can prepare full PPAP submissions including dimensional studies, MSA, and process capability data. Lead time for a new PPAP: 4–6 weeks from approved drawing.

This is a nuanced question and the nuance matters commercially. Let me give you the direct answer and the context you need to use it correctly.

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive 2011/65/EU) restricts the use of specific hazardous materials — lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBBs, PBDEs, and four phthalates — in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The operative word is electrical and electronic. Standard brass plumbing, gas, and mechanical fittings are not EEE and are therefore outside the scope of RoHS.

Where RoHS becomes relevant to our products: when we manufacture metal components or housings for electrical connectors, sensor bodies, PCB mounting hardware, or any component that is part of an electrical or electronic assembly, RoHS applies and we manufacture accordingly. For these products, we use low-lead alloys (CW724R, CW725R) and avoid any restricted substance in surface treatments.

REACH (EC 1907/2006) is different and does apply broadly to brass. Our products comply with REACH SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) requirements, and we provide REACH declarations with our compliance documentation. The lead in standard brass (CW617N) is present as an intentionally added constituent for machinability — this is currently permitted for this use, though the regulatory landscape may evolve.

If your customer or system integrator is asking for RoHS compliance on a mechanical fitting, it's worth clarifying whether they genuinely mean RoHS (EEE) or whether they're using it as shorthand for "no hazardous substances" generally — which is a REACH question.

Lead in brass fittings is the regulatory question I get asked most frequently by North American and Australian buyers, and the confusion is understandable because different regulations measure lead content differently.

Traditional free-cutting brass (CW617N) contains 2–3% lead by mass — added deliberately as a machining lubricant. This is total alloy lead content. Wetted-surface lead is a different and more commercially relevant measurement: it measures the lead content of only the surfaces in contact with potable water, weighted by area. California AB1953 and NSF/ANSI 372 define "lead-free" as a weighted average wetted-surface lead content of ≤0.25%.

Our low-lead range uses alloys including CW510L (bismuth brass) where lead is replaced by bismuth for machinability — total lead content below 0.1% — and CW724R (low-lead free-cutting brass) where wetted-surface lead is well below the 0.25% California threshold. Both are low-lead grades suitable for NSF/ANSI 372 testing for the California, Vermont and Maryland markets; Brassland holds no NSF certification, so listing the finished product is the buyer's responsibility.

Lead content is verified through two methods: X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy for rapid screening (non-destructive, accurate to ±0.1% for bulk alloy) and ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry) for precision analysis of dissolved lead in elution tests per NSF 61. We conduct XRF on every heat of incoming bar stock and retain spectrometry results as part of the material traceability record.

Yes — and if you're buying for a regulated construction, plumbing, or industrial application and your supplier can't do this, that's a significant supply chain risk you should be aware of.

Our traceability chain runs from: Raw material → mill certificate from our brass rod or tube suppliers (from certified brass rod and tube mills) specifying the heat number, chemical composition to BS EN 12165/12164, and mechanical properties. Incoming inspection → XRF spectroscopy check of each heat, dimensional verification of bar stock, records retained against our internal heat number. Production lot → machining/forging batch linked to heat number, operator, machine, tooling, and in-process inspection frequency. Final inspection → dimensional report, visual inspection, thread gauge verification per batch. Outgoing CoC → links the customer PO, product specification, our lot number, and all applicable certification references.

Third-party test reports: for customers requiring independent verification, we work with SGS, TUV SUD, and DQS test laboratories. We can arrange third-party chemical analysis and dimensional audits of the components we machine; finished-product pressure and water-extraction testing is arranged by the buyer or their test house. These typically add 2–3 working days and a commercial fee that depends on scope — but for first orders or regulatory compliance requirements, they're worth it.

One point worth making: traceability isn't just about catching problems — it's about proving you didn't cause them. When a contractor calls about a fitting failure three years after installation, a traceable lot number resolves the question in hours instead of months.

ACS (Attestation de Conformité Sanitaire) is the French national certification scheme for materials in contact with potable water — it's France's equivalent of WRAS, and it is mandatory, not optional, for any water-contact component used in France. Belgium recognises ACS under mutual agreement.

ACS testing is conducted by approved French laboratories (CETIM is the main one for metals) and evaluates migration of substances from the material into water under French water chemistry conditions and contact duration protocols. The chemistry is different from UK or NSF test conditions, which is why having WRAS alone doesn't automatically satisfy ACS requirements — the French water regulation system runs independently.

Brassland does not currently hold ACS certification. We manufacture custom precision components to customer drawings — for French or Belgian market supply requiring ACS-certified fittings, you should source from an ACS-approved supplier, or we can discuss whether a certification programme makes sense for large, consistent volumes.

If you're developing a new product range for the French market and need ACS certification support, the typical process is: submit a product sample to CETIM, 6–12 week testing programme, receive attestation. We can support this process with technical documentation and material declarations. For large-volume commitments, it's worth us making the joint investment in extending our ACS-certified range.

Australia and New Zealand have their own certification framework for plumbing products, and it's more rigorous in some respects than European standards. Attempting to sell non-certified product into the Australian plumbing market is a quick route to product rejection and potential liability, so let me lay out the framework clearly.

WaterMark is the mandatory Australian certification scheme administered by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB). Any product used in a plumbing or drainage installation covered by the Plumbing Code of Australia must carry WaterMark certification. This includes brass fittings, valves, and any component in potable water service. WaterMark products are listed in the ABCB's product database — installers and specifiers can check compliance online.

Brassland does not currently hold WaterMark certification. For Australian or New Zealand potable water supply, products must carry WaterMark listing — sourcing from a WaterMark-listed supplier or arranging certification through the ABCB process is required. Lead time for WaterMark testing and listing is typically 3–6 months. If you are an Australian importer with consistent volume requirements, we can discuss supporting a WaterMark application for your specific product range.

Products must comply with AS/NZS 4020 (testing of products for use in contact with drinking water) and the applicable product standard — typically AS 3688 (water supply — metallic fittings and end connectors). New Zealand accepts WaterMark under Trans-Tasman mutual recognition. The New Zealand Building Code Clause G12 governs water supply.