Drinking Water Components: Transitioning from KTW-BWGL to EU Directive 2020/2184

As of December 31, 2026, the familiar hygienic requirements (in Germany: KTW-BWGL) will be replaced by the new European regulation EU Directive 2020/2184.

The goal is clear: a unified European quality standard for materials in contact with drinking water.

One of the most significant changes is that declarations of conformity must be issued by an accredited third-party certification body.

For any new product launched on the market after December 31, 2026, external declarations are mandatory – self-declarations will no longer be accepted.

Products certified after this date must also bear the corresponding conformity mark.

However, there is a transition period for existing components:

• Old or unchanged products (same color, material, ingredients, etc.) can still be sold under current German KTW-BWGL regulations until December 31, 2032.

• By the end of 2032, all components with drinking water contact must have third-party certification under the new European framework 

• Special attention to lead content in Germany

  From January 12, 2028, a new limit of 5.0 μg/L for lead in drinking water will apply in Germany. To reliably meet this low threshold, only lead-free materials
  will be permitted for producing such components.

• Attached to the regulation is the current European positive list of lead-free materials approved for drinking water contact from December 1, 2028 onward.

  But here’s a critical timeline point:
  If you obtain a European declaration of conformity from a third party before January 12, 2028, using materials that are not lead-free, that certification will likely
  be recalled after January 12, 2028.
  Therefore, it makes perfect sense to start using lead-free materials as early as December 31, 2026, to ensure your certifications remain valid and future-proof.

• Our solution: Lead-free bronze fittings – ready today

• We understand the urgency. That’s why we have already aligned our production with these upcoming requirements.

• Our lead-free bronze fittings are manufactured using materials listed in the European positive list for drinking water contact.
   They fully comply with the stricter lead limit (5.0 μg/L) – effective as of 2028, but already available today.
  They are ready for third-party certification under the new EU Directive 2020/2184.
  For both new product launches after December 31, 2026, and existing products requiring material or color changes.

•  our lead-free bronze components offer a seamless transition without risking future certification recalls.