NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 Certification
NSF/ANSI 61 & NSF/ANSI 372 establish requirements for materials and components used in contact with drinking water across North America.
These standards are widely required for market access, product specification and regulatory compliance across the United States and Canada.
A structured approach helps define appropriate certification pathways, supporting on-time delivery, reducing resource demands and aligning requirements across multiple standards.
What are NSF/ANSI 61 & 372?
NSF/ANSI 61 evaluates the potential for contaminants to leach from materials and components into drinking water, ensuring products do not adversely affect water quality or pose a risk to human health.
NSF/ANSI 372 establishes requirements for lead content in drinking water system components, supporting compliance with low-lead regulations across North America.
These standards are commonly applied together, forming the baseline requirements for many products used in contact with potable water.
Where NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 Apply
NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 apply to a wide range of products and materials used in drinking water systems across North America and, in some cases, international markets.
This commonly includes:
- Components used in drinking water supply and distribution systems
- Plumbing products, fittings, valves and pipe systems
- Materials used in treatment, storage and delivery of potable water
- Products requiring assessment through laboratory testing and certification body evaluation
Understanding applicability early is critical, particularly where certification is required for market access, specification or regulatory compliance.
Certification & Compliance Process
Achieving NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 certification requires alignment with defined standard requirements and certification body processes.
This typically involves:
- Identification of applicable standards based on product type and application
- Review of materials, formulation and product design
- Generation and review of supporting technical documentation
- Laboratory testing and evaluation, as defined by certification bodies
- Certification, product listing and ongoing surveillance requirements
Requirements may vary depending on product category, materials, certification body approach and intended application.
How AquaCompliance Supports
AquaCompliance provides structured advisory and project support across NSF/ANSI 61 and 372 certification, helping manufacturers manage requirements efficiently from early-stage assessment through to certification.
- Regulatory Pathway Definition — Clarifying applicable requirements and identifying appropriate certification routes across target markets
- Documentation Review — Assessing product information and supporting data to identify gaps and opportunities to leverage existing data
- Laboratory & Certification Coordination — Liaising with laboratories and certification bodies to align capability, capacity and timelines
- Certification Engagement — Supporting communication with certification bodies to address queries and progress approvals.
- Commercial & Technical Alignment — Identifying overlap across materials, product ranges and standards to streamline testing strategies and reduce duplication
- Application & Project Management — Coordinating activities across internal teams, laboratories and certification bodies to support delivery from initial assessment through to certification.
Key Considerations
NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 certification are influenced by several factors that should be considered early to avoid delays and rework:
- Material composition and formulation
- Product design and intended application
- Availability and suitability of supporting data
- Laboratory capacity, capability and lead times
- Certification body requirements and timelines
- Ongoing testing, compliance and surveillance obligations
In addition, several technical and commercial factors can significantly influence testing scope, timelines and cost:
- Material formulation complexity — Including the number of materials or wetted components requiring evaluation, expanding testing scope
- Supply chain complexity — Including multiple material and component suppliers, which can increase coordination requirements and impact testing scope, cost and timelines
- Existing data and prior approvals — Where accepted by certification bodies, this may reduce duplication and support more efficient certification
- Alignment of documentation across standards — Where accepted, this can support efficiency and reduce rework
- Product range complexity — Variations in models, sizes and configurations can increase testing scope and overall cost
- Audit and certification body requirements — Differences in certification body approaches may influence audit scope, surveillance requirements and timelines
Certification requirements are defined within the NSF/ANSI standards and applied through certification body programmes, with testing conducted by accredited laboratories.
Early alignment across certification bodies, laboratories and internal teams supports project delivery and helps maintain progress throughout the certification process.Related Requirements
NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 are often applied alongside other North American standards, depending on product type and intended application.
This may include, but not limited to:
- NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 – Where drinking water treatment devices require performance certification alongside material safety requirements
- NSF/ANSI 14 – Where plastic piping systems require structural and performance assessment in addition to health effects evaluation
- ASME A112.18.1 / CSA B125.1 & A112.18.6 / CSA B125.6 — where plumbing supply fittings require mechanical performance and functional compliance alongside material safety requirements – Where plumbing supply fittings must meet defined mechanical performance and durability requirements, typically in conjunction with NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 for material safety and lead content compliance
While NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 focus on material safety and lead content, they are often part of a broader certification framework, where multiple standards may apply to a single product.
A structured approach enables alignment between material compliance, mechanical performance and certification requirements, supporting more efficient programme delivery and reducing unnecessary rework.
Although international frameworks such as Regulation 31 (Reg31) and EU Drinking Water Directive (DWD) & MHR are not directly transferable, the technical data, material evaluations and supporting documentation generated through NSF certification programmes can be leveraged to support wider global compliance strategies and streamline subsequent approvals.
If you are planning certification, market entry or product approval in North America, early clarity on requirements and certification pathways is critical.
AquaCompliance supports projects from initial assessment through to certification, helping identify gaps, streamline activities and maintain alignment across multiple standards and certification programmes.
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