Sta-Rite > 50 gpm Submersible Well Pumps not NSF Certified

[gibfrog]

A previous engineer called for an 4", 7.5 hp 90GPM Sta-Rite L90HF75 well pump for public water system serving a small (<400 unit) residential development. The well pump was installed but never permitted with the local Health Department (a delegated agency by the FL State DEP.)

I am trying to get a pemit for this pump and it is not NSF certified, as required by state law. I checked the manufacturer's web site, and these 90 GPM series pumps are currently advertised as by the manufacturer as "Ideal for residential, industrial, commercial, multiple housing and farm use." According to an email I received from the manufacturer, Sta-Rite does not seek NSF/CSA approval for any submersible well pumps over 50 gpm.

I asked the manufactorer's representative, why this pump was not NSF certified? It could just be an administrative issue, not necessarily a violation of (a) NSF 61 techinal standard(s), but no additional information was forth comming after multiple emails.

Does anyone know why Sta-rite will not seek NSF certification for their >50 gpm submersible well pumps or why these pumps do not meet NSF 61?



Clifford H Laubstein
FL PE 58662

 

[jonr12]

I am sure that pump is made to NSF specifications, just not certified. Why? COST! COST! COST! It takes a lot of money to keep a product NSF certified, and it doesn’t make products any safer. NSF needlessly makes a lot of the products we buy much more expensive. Any product that is made to the NSF standards doesn’t need the certified stamp, unless you just want to pay more.

 

[gibfrog]

That may be correct, but I asked in several emails, why these pumps were not NSF certified. I would assume that if it was merely cost or some administrative detail, they would have told me so.

Here is a 27 page list of the many certified Sta-Rite pumps

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...610a&file=sta-rite_pump_csa_general_certs.doc

Clifford H Laubstein
FL PE 58662

 

[bimr]

The brochure states the pump is marketed to water systems… for residential, industrial, commercial, multiple
housing and farm use. Not potable water.

Since these markets do not require NSF certification, the manufacturer probably decided he he did not want to pay for the NSF certification.

Manufacturers receive little to no benefit from the NSF certification process. It is a voluntary certification that the manufacturer has to pay a fee for.

You will have to confirm with the manufacturer as to whether or not, the manufacturer paid the fee for that product. The rep is probably not much help, you should talk directly to the manufacturer.

The NSF certification mainly involves the leaching of lead and other contaminants from the pump anyway and has little or nothing to do with the basic design of the pump.

Over the last 15 years, a regulatory framework has been developed across the U.S. and Canada for controlling the leaching of lead and other contaminants from plumbing and other products used in municipal water distribution systems. This regulatory framework is based on NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Drinking Water System Components—Health Effects.

http://www.pmengineer.com/Articles/Feature_Article/4e3d6552ce298010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____

 

[gibfrog]

Bimr:

I should have been more specific. I have been in direct contact with the manufactor.

-----------------------
I consider a pump that is marketed as "Ideal for residential, industrial, commercial, multiple housing and farm use." to be considered suitable for potable use since I will only design a potable water supply for general residential and/or multiple housing use. I design non-potable irrigation systems, but these are special residential/multiple housing applications.

Farm uses are not generally potable, (but they can be). At first, Dan Featherstone, of Sta-Rite technical support, called the Sta-Rite L90HF75 pump an "irrigation pump" to justify it not being NSF certified. However, once I pointed out how these 90 series pumps were marketed as "Ideal for residential, industrial, commercial, multiple housing and farm use", even he agreed that one could reasonably infer these pumps were marketed as suitable for potable uses. Also the local distributor commmonly sells these pumps for potable applications.

The manufacturer later emailed me that "I have taken this to my supervisor and our certification manager, will keep you updated. " but I haven't recieved any additional information from him.

I am willing to fight to get this pump approved by the local health department, (becasue my client already has this pump installed) but the manufactorer has given me no help. If the manufactorer was willing to email me something like - this pump is built to NSF standards, but it was not considered economically feasible to seek certification for this pump, I could fight to use this pump.

Here is one of my many emails to the manufacturer


Here is my problem. My client, XXXXX XXXXXX MHP, purchased a Sta-Rite L90HF75 4" Submersible well pump from a local well contractor for a back up well for their public water system in 2008. I am trying to get a permit to place this well into operation and the local health department has requested the NSF certification of the well pump.

I understand that this pump is not NSF certified. but if it is "certifiable", then there is a chance I can get the health department to accept this well pump. However, I need some additional information, like why this pump is not CSA/NSF certified.

Here is a partial screen shot from your website advertising this pump

You advertise this pump as "IDEAL FOR RESIDENTIAL, INDUSTRIAL, COMERCIAL, MULTIPLE HOUSING & FARM USE". How about some help getting this pump approved for a multiple housing use?

Sincerely yours,


Clifford H Laubstein
FL PE 58662