The CPCA’s national webinar series continues to draw strong attendance, with last month’s session on NSF/ANSI 61 compliance attracting 217 registered participants — a record for the webinar series. The presentation was delivered by Dr. Sarah Okafor, PhD, a regulatory compliance specialist who has worked with several major polyurea formulators on achieving and maintaining NSF certification.
What is NSF/ANSI 61?
NSF/ANSI Standard 61 is the principal health effects standard for drinking water system components in North America. Any coating, lining, or material that may come into contact with potable water intended for human consumption must be certified under this standard before it can be specified for water contact applications.
The certification covers extraction testing — essentially, does the material leach any contaminants (heavy metals, organic compounds, endocrine disruptors) at levels that could pose a health risk in drinking water? The test is conducted by accredited third-party laboratories and repeated periodically to maintain certification.
Key Points for Polyurea Applicators
Dr. Okafor highlighted several points that practitioners must understand:
Certification is product-specific, not chemistry-specific. A certified formulation from one manufacturer is not interchangeable with an uncertified formulation even if the chemistry appears similar. Each specific product (including its specific pigment package and additives) must be certified independently.
Aromatic polyurea systems can achieve NSF 61 certification. There is a common misconception that aromatic systems cannot be used for potable water contact. In fact, many aromatic polyurea products are NSF 61 certified. The certification is about extractables, not UV stability.
The certified product must be applied according to the manufacturer’s application instructions. Over-thinning, mixing ratio deviations, or applying over a non-approved primer may void the certification for that application. Good documentation practices are essential for the applicator to demonstrate compliance.
Some municipalities require additional local testing beyond NSF 61, particularly for primary drinking water storage. Always check with the water utility before finalizing the product selection.
The Cistern Lining Market
The webinar reviewed the significant growth in cistern and potable water storage lining work across Canada. As discussed in our article on why polyurea is becoming the go-to cistern liner, this segment is growing at over 22% annually and represents one of the most accessible and profitable entry points for new applicators.
Access the Recording
CPCA members can access the full 90-minute recording and accompanying slides through the member resource portal. The recording includes Dr. Okafor’s full Q&A session, which covered 34 questions submitted by attendees.
The next national webinar is scheduled for July 15: “NSF/ANSI 61 Compliance for Potable Water Applications” — register now to reserve your spot. Non-members are welcome at the guest registration fee of $35.