Point-of-use water heaters and coolers are becoming more common every day. Because these devices are often plumbed in and provide drinking water, safety and other concerns have been raised by AHJs, consumers, and manufacturers. To address these concerns, there have been significant additions to the new 2019 revision of ASSE 1023, Performance Requirements for Electrically Heated or Cooled Water Dispensers. The 2021 version of the Uniform Plumbing Code® (UPC) will also include reference to ASSE 1023, so it is important for anyone working with electrically heated or cooled drinking water dispensers to be familiar with the UPC and 1023 changes. Manufacturers should verify compliance to this new standard because once the 2021 UPC is issued, a large percentage of the country will require ASSE 1023-2019 compliance for POU water heaters and coolers.
UPC Report on Comments, Draft Section 415.1
Electric water coolers and water heaters connected to potable water that are vented to the atmosphere shall comply with ASSE 1023.
The 2019 edition of ASSE 1023 includes several additional certification requirements that will need to be addressed by manufacturers certified to the previous edition. These additions include requirements for heated and chilled water capacity, the dispensing nozzle, and compliance to additional standards, including low lead and filtration standards. There is also a change in the standard’s scope, which expands the type of water dispensing equipment to also include chilled water dispensing equipment. The revised ASSE 1023 offers increased protection for consumers through added temperature and pressure requirements, more stringent heating and cooling test requirements, and protection from contaminants.
The most significant change to ASSE 1023 is that chilled water dispensing units are now included in the scope of the standard. Expanding the scope was needed to address the lack of performance requirements for residential chilled water dispensing units. The performance testing requirements for these chilled water units included structural requirements to protect properties when the dispenser is plumbed in. With the large expansion of the scope, the standard now covers existing ASSE 1023 devices, water coolers and dispense fittings, and any other free standing, deck-mounted, table-top, and bottled system that heats or cools water.
ASSE 1023 now requires verification of heating, cooling, and contaminant reductions claims, which will allow consumers to understand and trust device documents and packaging. This is because all ASSE 1023 certified products undergo standard performance and claim testing as dictated by ASSE 1023. This testing will give the consumer an apples-to-apples comparison when comparing the claims made by different manufacturers.
This updated standard also addresses some jurisdictions’ rising concerns with safe drinking water and water filtration compliance. ASSE 1023 requires compliance to NSF/ANSI 372, Drinking Water System Components – Lead Content, for all units developed to dispense drinking or cooking water. The standard also requires certification of contaminate reduction, including certification to ASSE 1087, Performance Requirements for Commercial and Food Service Water Treatment Equipment Utilizing Drinking Water, NSF/ANSI 42, Drinking Water Treatment Units – Aesthetic Effects, NSF/ANSI 53, Drinking Water Treatment Units – Health Effects, etc. The required standard depends on the claims made by the water filtration supplier.
Now that ASSE 1023 is being adopted in plumbing codes, consumers can be confident in what is being advertised for filtration, UV treatment, reverse osmosis, and other methods. Combine that with the other temperature and capacity claims and you have a level playing field for products that dispense electrically heated or cooled drinking water.
