A recent NBC News investigation found that counterfeit plumbing products—many sold online and manufactured overseas—are entering the U.S. market with dangerous levels of lead and other chemical contaminants without proper testing and certification. These knockoff faucets can contaminate drinking water and pose a direct threat to public health.
In compelling testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Aaron Todd Bores, executive vice president of product development for Moen Incorporated, detailed the public health dangers posed by counterfeit and noncompliant plumbing products entering the U.S. market.
To underscore these concerns, Moen collaborated with IAPMO®—a global leader in product testing and certification—to independently assess the safety and compliance of widely available off-brand faucets and valves sold online.
“We enlisted IAPMO, the industry benchmark for plumbing product testing, to evaluate the leading off-brand faucets available to American consumers,” Bores said. “The results were deeply concerning.”
Key findings from IAPMO’s independent testing included:
Moen also testified to the alarming misuse of legitimate certification marks—including those belonging to IAPMO—by counterfeit products marketed through major e-commerce platforms. As a result of the testimony and these findings, the government is recalling nine Chinese-made faucets sold on Amazon.
IAPMO encourages consumers to look for products that bear the cUPC® certification mark, which confirms independent testing and compliance with rigorous standards for health and performance.
IAPMO is committed to protecting the safety of our water systems through trusted codes, standards, and product certification. We encourage code officials, policymakers, and industry professionals to verify certification marks and educate stakeholders about the risks of uncertified plumbing fixtures.
IAPMO® Senior Vice President of Codes and Standards Development Hugo Aguilar, P.E., has been named a recipient of the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Meritorious Service Award, which recognizes “significant contributions to the U.S. voluntary standardization system.”
Ontario, California — The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) Technical Committee is seeking special subject experts to participate in the following task group: Building Drain Cured-In-Place.
IAPMO® has published the 2027 editions of the Uniform Plumbing Code® (UPC) and Uniform Mechanical Code® (UMC) in both hardcopy and electronic versions, completing a three-year consensus development process accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).