Sealing materials for contact with drinking water

At Rehm Dichtungen Ehlers GmbH, the sealing materials that are suitable for contact with drinking water include all materials that have one or more drinking water approvals. German drinking water approvals include the Elastomer Guideline (ELL), the KTW-BWGL (Kunststoffe im Trinkwasser - Bewertungsgrundlage) and the W270. The English approval for seals in contact with drinking water is defined by WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme). French approval is in turn regulated by ACS certification. We have a wide range of different gasket materials that can be used with drinking water. As a gasket manufacturer, we produce your drinking water gaskets using our various manufacturing processes.

Regulations for the use of seals for drinking water

The validity of the elastomer guideline expired at the end of 2021. The transfer of the ELL to the KTW BWGL approval as Annex D took place in mid-March 2022. A transition period of 3 years is provided to meet the requirements according to the KTW BWGL approval, so that the test reports of the previous elastomer guideline and W270 can continue to be used to prove the suitability of the seal for drinking water contact until 01.03.2025. Drinking water approvals are required when seals are used for the new construction or maintenance of systems for the production, treatment or distribution of drinking water or are in contact with drinking water. In this context, the drinking water seals should not adversely change the odor or taste of the water or release substances into the drinking water in quantities that are unavoidable when generally accepted rules of technology are observed. For applications in the food industry, however, other guidelines are required, such as FDA conformity or approval in accordance with EC 1935/2004.

Available sealing materials for drinking water contact at Rehm Dichtungen Ehlers GmbH

We, Rehm Dichtungen Ehlers GmbH, stock a range of sealing materials which have one or more approvals for drinking water contact (ELL, W270, KTW-BWGL, WRAS). We can manufacture seals suitable for drinking water or drinking water contact from various material groups. If necessary, we can also equip the seals suitable for drinking water with a self-adhesive film for simplified assembly.

Elastomer seals

In addition to silicone, we can also produce seals made of EPDM with various drinking water approvals from the manufacturer Semperit. For elastomers, we have the following materials that are approved for contact with drinking water.

The manufacturer Semperit lists E2514 under materials for contact with drinking water. The material is EPDM. The sealing material is certified in accordance with the elastomer guidelines for cold and hot water and the French ACS approval. EPDM E2514 also has DVGW W270, which regulates hygienic safety with regard to contact with drinking water. Furthermore, E2514 is certified according to the English approval WRAS. With the expiry of the transition period on March 1, 2025 and the mandatory new regulation according to KTW-BWGL, the EPDM E628 and E2514 grades will be replaced by the newly developed Aquastar E633 . Aquastar E633 can be used without hesitation in risk group P2 for contact with cold and hot water (up to 60°C) and is also suitable as a pipe seal in accordance with EN681-1.

The silicone we offer in red and transparent has Water Regulations Advisory Scheme approval, or WRAS approval for short.

In the case of rubber-bonded fiber materials, we have a wide variety of materials from different suppliers.

Fibre gaskets

Areas of application of drinking water seals

Seals for drinking water contact are used in all industries in which drinking water is conveyed, transferred or processed. Particularly for these purposes or fields of application, gaskets or flat and flange gaskets are required that exhibit low extraction and at the same time contain ingredients that are harmless to health. Additional decision factors in the selection of drinking water gaskets are durability and cost-effectiveness. Classic areas of application for drinking water seals are in (domestic) pipe sealing, sealing for feed pumps, and sealing of sensors in drinking water. The gaskets are used in all drinking water and service water supply systems. The application of the flat and flange gaskets serves the safe sealing of all fittings, valves and pipe systems.

For the production of your seal for drinking water contact, a variety of different materials are available, depending on the respective application. We will be happy to advise you on the choice of the right material for your drinking water seal. Please contact our customer service, who will provide you with comprehensive advice.

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1. what are drinking water seals
Drinking water seals are sealing materials specially manufactured for contact with drinking water. These are certified with various approvals, such as the Elastomer Guideline (ELL), the KTW-BWGL (Plastics in Drinking Water - Basis of Assessment) and the W270. With our state-of-the-art production techniques, we can offer you high-quality and durable drinking water seals.
2. what are drinking water seals used for?
The use of flat and flange gaskets in contact with drinking water or in cold water pipes is necessary when machines or systems for the production, treatment or distribution of drinking water are newly installed or maintained. With the help of our various manufacturing processes - waterjet cutting, plotting and punching- we produce your drinking water gasket to measure.
3. which approvals or conformities must sealing materials for drinking water contact have?
To be approved as a sealing material for contact with drinking water, the sealing materials must at least be certified in accordance with a drinking water approval. These include the German KTW-BWGL approval, the English WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) and the French ACS certification. The Elastomer Guideline (ELL), which is also used in Germany, expired at the end of 2021 and was transferred to the KTW-BWGL approval. Until 01.03.2025, the test reports with the ELL continue to be valid.
4. which sealing materials are suitable for contact with drinking water?
In the area of elastomer seals, seals made of silicone as well as EPDM (E2514) have different drinking water approvals. In addition, the use of fiber gaskets is suitable for contact with drinking water. In the area of fibrous materials, a wide variety of Frenzelit gaskets, Klingersil gaskets, AFM g askets and Centellen gaskets are suitable.