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Lisle, IL 60532
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4151 Naperville Road
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Water Quality Association
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Certification Scheme:
Version 2.0
Published: August 09, 2013
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Drinking Water Treatment Units
Water Quality Association Gold Seal Certification Program
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Prepared By:
®Registered trade-mark of Water Quality Association
WQA follows Certification System Type 5 according to ISO/IEC Guide 67
Drinking Water Treatment Units
This scheme is owned by the Water Quality Association, a not-for-profit international trade association representing the
household, commercial, industrial, and small system water treatment industry, and an accredited Certification Body.
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Water Quality Association Gold Seal Product Certification Program Description
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The Water Quality Association’s (WQA) Gold Seal Certification Program represents one of the oldest third party testing
and certification programs in the drinking water treatment industry. WQA tested and validated (certified) its first
product in 1959. WQA’s Gold Seal has become one of the most recognized Certification Mark’s in the United States and
throughout the World. The Water Quality Association has established working relationships with the United States (US)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), State Health and Environmental
Agencies, Health Canada, USA Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to
maintain the highest standards for independence, state-of-the-art operations, trust and acceptance in the United States
and the World.
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Mission Statement
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The Water Quality Association’s Gold Seal Product Certification Program is dedicated to providing public health and
safety services throughout the United States and globally while maintaining expert service, superior reputation, and fair
pricing. The Certification Scheme covers product(s) used for residential drinking water treatment equipment.
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Scheme Development
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The Water Quality Association Gold Seal Certification Staff has developed this scheme in accordance with ISO/IEC Guide
67. The Gold Seal Certification Forum has input to the information contained herein, and the WQA Public Health Review
Board has approved it. This scheme is intended to be solely operated by the WQA Gold Seal Certification Program.
Although accreditation is not required to operate this scheme, Certification activities shall be performed in accordance
with ISO/IEC Guide 65. The Gold Seal Certification Program maintains accreditation as a Certification Body operating
according to ISO/IEC 65 with ANSI and SCC.
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The Gold Seal Certification Schemes are publically available documents and are subject to revision. Please contact WQA
directly or check the WQA website at www.wqa.org to ensure that you have the most current version of a scheme. If
you have any questions concerning the scheme or would like to suggest improvements, please contact WQA’s Product
Certification Manager at the Water Quality Association’s International Headquarters located at 4151 Naperville Rd.,
Lisle, IL 60532, phone 630-505-0160, facsimile 630-505-9637.
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E-mail: afisher@wqa.org, Web: http://www.wqa.org
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Prepared by: WQA’s Gold Seal Certification Program
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Approved by: WQA’s Public Health Review Board
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Contents
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................... 4
2
Terms and Definitions .................................................................................................................................................... 4
3
Selection ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7
3.1
3.1.2
Product Datasheet .......................................................................................................................................... 8
3.1.3
Wetted Parts List (WPL) and/or Formulation Sheet ....................................................................................... 9
3.1.4
Optional Information .................................................................................................................................... 10
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Agreement ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
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Application Review............................................................................................................................................... 10
Selection of Product Testing Requirements from the Standard(s) Requested for Certification .................. 11
3.2.2
Certification of Products Listed by another Certification Body .................................................................... 15
3.2.3
Changes to a Certified Product (CCP)............................................................................................................ 15
3.2.4
Other Certification Evaluations ..................................................................................................................... 15
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3.2.1
Facility Assessment Review ................................................................................................................................. 16
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3.3
New Facility ................................................................................................................................................... 16
3.3.2
Existing Facility .............................................................................................................................................. 16
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3.3.1
Proposal ................................................................................................................................................................ 17
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3.4
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Determination .............................................................................................................................................................. 17
4.1
Testing................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Testing Locations........................................................................................................................................... 17
4.1.2
R&D work conducted at the WQA Laboratory.............................................................................................. 18
4.1.3
Data Verification ........................................................................................................................................... 18
4.1.4
Test Samples ................................................................................................................................................. 18
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4.1.1
Other Testing Information ................................................................................................................................... 18
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4.2
Contaminant Reduction Testing for Replacement Component/Elements ................................................... 18
4.2.2
Testing Self-Adjusting Water Softeners ........................................................................................................ 19
4.2.3
Systems with Raw Water Blending Options.................................................................................................. 19
4.2.4
Integral Component Certification ................................................................................................................. 19
4.2.5
Cyst Testing according to NSF/ANSI 53 ......................................................................................................... 20
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Facility Assessment Activities (Full Assessments) ............................................................................................... 20
Literature Requirements ...................................................................................................................................... 21
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4.2.1
4.3
Evaluation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24
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Application Process for Certification ..................................................................................................................... 7
3.1.1
3.2
4
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6
Attestation .................................................................................................................................................................... 24
6.1
Decision on Certification (Granting) .................................................................................................................... 24
6.2
Maintaining Certification ..................................................................................................................................... 25
6.2.1
Yearly Requirements ..................................................................................................................................... 25
6.2.2
Sampling for any Required Testing ............................................................................................................... 25
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6.2.3
Modification of Certified Products................................................................................................................ 26
6.2.4
Revision to a Standard or Regulation............................................................................................................ 26
6.3
Extension of Certification / Re-certification ........................................................................................................ 26
Selection (see Section 3) ............................................................................................................................... 26
6.3.2
Determination (see Section 4) ...................................................................................................................... 27
6.3.3
Evaluation (see Section 5) ............................................................................................................................. 27
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6.4
Termination, Reduction, Suspension or Withdrawal of Certification ................................................................ 27
Licensing ....................................................................................................................................................................... 29
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Surveillance .................................................................................................................................................................. 29
WQA Facility Assessment Plan (FAP) ................................................................................................................... 29
8.2
Frequency ............................................................................................................................................................. 29
8.3
Surveillance Assessments include: ...................................................................................................................... 29
8.4
For a new Another Name For (ANF)/Private Label Company of an Existing Facility ......................................... 30
8.5
Outcome of the Assessment ................................................................................................................................ 30
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Product Registrations ................................................................................................................................................... 30
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9
Gold Seal ............................................................................................................................................................... 29
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6.3.1
1 Scope
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This third-party Certification Scheme establishes product certification criteria for Point-of-Entry (POE), Pointof-Use (POU), and components that are categorized as Drinking Water Treatment Units (DWTUs). The
requirements that the products will be assessed against are contained in DWTU standards, including:
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NSF/ANSI 42, NSF/ANSI 44, NSF/ANSI 53, NSF/ANSI 55, NSF/ANSI 58, NSF/ANSI 62, NSF/ANSI 177, NSF/ANSI
222, US EPA Microbiological Standard, CSA B483.1, WQA S-100, WQA S-200, WQA S-300, WQA S-400, NSF
Protocol P231, and WQA ORD 0901.
1.2
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It is intended for use by all companies wishing to certify drinking water treatment units with Water Quality
Association whose products fall within the scope of this certification scheme.
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Another Name For (ANF) / Private Label – An identical product to a WQA Certified product sold under a
different Company and model number. The new model also obtains WQA Certification.
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2 Terms and Definitions
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2.2
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2.3
Attestation – Issue of a statement, based on a decision following review, that fulfillment of specified
requirements has been demonstrated.
Bracketing – Grouping products by similarities (shape, size, performance) in order to eliminate duplicate
testing.
2.4
Certification Body - Responsible for verifying that a product sold or labeled as a certified product is
produced, processed, prepared, handled, and traded according to applicable certification standards.
2.5
Certification Scheme - Certification system related to specified products, to which the same specified
requirements, specific rules and procedures apply.
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2.6
Company - A Company that has a contract with WQA for Gold Seal Certification and manufactures, designs,
sells, assembles, distributes, or markets Certified Product(s).
2.7
Component - A separate or distinct part of the drinking water treatment system including, but not limited
2.8
Customized Certification – certification to portions of standards or modified standard requirements with
listing notes to describe the modifications.
2.9
Data Plate – A permanently affixed label to a certified product that contains specific information as
Data Transfer – Test data transferred from a representative sample to a system of similar design and
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A data plate shall be placed on all certified products unless physically
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required by the standard.
impossible.
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to, appurtenant accessories such as membranes, filters, housing, tubing, storage tanks, faucets, valves, and
connectors to the feed water supply.
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construction.
Determination – The use of one or more determination methods (e.g. test, audit and/or examination) to
2.12
De Minimus - Lacking significance or importance, so minor as to be disregarded.
2.13
Drinking Water Treatment Unit (DWTU) - A drinking water treatment system intended to be used as a
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2.11
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develop complete information regarding fulfillment of the specified requirements by the product or its
sample.
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Point-of-Use or Point-of-Entry device used to treat potable water. To be classified as a softener, the unit
must reduce hardness by more than 50 percent.
Evaluation - Verification of the suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of selection and determination
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2.14
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activities, and the results of these activities, with regard to fulfillment of specified requirements by an object
of conformity assessment.
Exploded View Diagrams (EVD) – A diagram, picture, or technical drawing of an object that shows the
relationship or order of assembly of various parts.
2.16
Extending Certification – Occurs every 5 years from the initial file date of granting Certification.
2.17
Formulation – A list of chemicals or ingredients used to make up a material or media.
2.18
Formulation Review – A review of material types and/or formulations to determine the analytical test
2.19
Full Assessment - A complete review of specific products, facilities, processes, and operations through the
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2.15
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battery for materials safety testing.
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Gold Seal Mark – A registered Certification Mark that is authorized by WQA for use on certified products
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2.21
Gold Seal Certification – Compliance with all WQA defined requirements.
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analysis of objective evidence. The review verifies compliance with specific Drinking Water Treatment Unit
Standards and the WQA Drinking Water Treatment Unit Scheme. A full review of the quality system will be
conducted at a Full Assessment.
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2.22
that meet the content of this scheme.
Integral Component – A part typically appearing once within a complete system and not intended to be
sold as a stand-alone component.
Examples include: RO shut-off valves, pumps, faucets, check-valves, bypass valves, control valves
2.23
Licensing - Granting, maintaining, extending, suspending, withdrawing the right to use certificates, marks
or other statements of conformity on products conforming to the specified requirements.
2.24
Listed – A product that has obtained Gold Seal Certification.
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2.25
Major Finding - Non-conformances found during audits that may directly affect Certification.
2.26 Manufacturing Facility / Plant – Location of the Company producing, assembling, distributing, and/or
applying the Gold Seal Mark to a Certified Product.
Material Evaluation - Toxicological evaluation of materials to ensure their safety to contact drinking water
and determination of analytical test battery when extraction testing is required to verify the materials do
not add contaminants to drinking water.
2.28
Minor Finding – Non-conformances found during audits that do not directly affect Certification.
2.29
Non-Conformity - One or more of WQA’s requirement(s) have not been met or approved.
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2.27
Off-site Facility Assessment – Audit of a facility’s records and quality system at a location other than the
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manufacturing facility.
2.31
On-Site Facility Assessment – Audit of a facility’s records and quality system at the manufacturing facility.
Original Product – The base Certified product that an Another Name For (ANF) / Private Label product is
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Certified off of.
Owner’s Guide / Instruction Manual – A compilation of information provided to the consumer including
2.34
Performance Claim – Marketed reduction capabilities of contaminants or substances.
2.35
Performance Data Sheet (PDS) – A document that is required to be made available to customers that
include product specifications. The information may be a permanent part of an owner’s guide or manual
provided a consumer would receive the complete manual if a consumer requested a PDS. A PDS is required
for all certified products.
2.36
Point-of-Entry - A drinking water treatment unit used to treat the water supply at a building or facility for
drinking and for washing, flushing, or other non-consumption water supply purposes in addition to the
drinking water supply.
2.37
Point-of-Use - A plumbed-in or faucet-mounted drinking water treatment unit used to treat the drinking
and/or cooking water at a single tap or multiple taps but not used to treat the majority of water used for
washing and flushing or other non-consumption purposes at a building or facility. Any batch system or
device not connected to the plumbing system is considered a point-of-use system.
2.38
Prototype Sample – A product still in the research and development phase. The specifications for the final
2.39
Public Notice - The issuance of Certification or De-Certification to the general public. The general public,
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2.33
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product specifications, installation information, product warning and safeguards. Each standard also
requires specific information to be included in this document. This type of manual is required for all certified
units.
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product that goes into production may differ from the prototype sample.
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including regulators, shall be informed of any product(s) (Listed or Delisted) that may raise health or safety
concerns.
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2.40
Replacement Component/Element – A replaceable, pre-formed, or pre-packaged part of a water
treatment system containing media or medium.
Note: Examples include: carbon block, polypropylene filter, water pitcher filter cartridge, reverse osmosis
pre and post filters, and reverse osmosis membranes.
2.41
Replacement Component Literature: A piece of media that must be sent with a replacement component
for a certified system. Replacement component literature is only required for filtration units certified
according to NSF/ANSI 42/53 or WQA S-200.
2.42
Sample – A product or component that is evaluated during testing.
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2.43
Seal Verification – Ensuring the influent water is not bypassing the filter cartridge or media because of an
2.44
Selection – Identification of the products to be assessed, specification of the requirements to be met by the
products (the specified requirements against which to assess the conformity of the product), and
identification of the applicable procedural requirements for the assessment and sampling.
2.45
Signature – For the WQA Gold Seal Certification Contract Agreement, a signature is defined as a
physical handwritten name, an electronically printed name accompanied by a statement of
signature, or an electronic signature. For all other documentation a signature is additionally
defined as any documented representation indicating that the document(s) submitted can be
considered official and signed or an email stating that attached documentation is the formal
submittal of the requested document(s).
2.46
Sold and Serviced By – A Company references another Company’s Certified product in conjunction with
2.47
Structural Integrity - Evaluation of materials is conducted to ensure that the products will not leak or
2.48
Sub-Assembly – A component within a system that is made up of two or more parts.
2.49
Surveillance - Systematic iteration of conformity assessment activities as a basis for maintaining the
2.50
Surveillance Assessment - a periodic review used to monitor the products based on the requirements of
2.51
System - A series of components and appurtenant accessories intended to be assembled together as a
single water treatment device.
2.52
Technical Service Provider (TSP) – An organization that has been approved by WQA to perform analytical
2.53
Testing – Determination of one or more characteristics of an object of conformity assessment, according to
a procedure.
2.54
Water Softener (Mechanical) - A water treatment device that softens water.
2.55
Water Softening - The reduction/removal of calcium and magnesium ions, which are the principle cause of
2.56
Wetted Parts List (WPL) – A list of components that come in contact with water intended for
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improper sealing mechanism (i.e. o-ring, gasket, friction…)
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their own Company name and model number on the product and does not obtain its own certification.
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explode during normal operation. Many of these products may experience water hammer during use.
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validity of the statement of conformity.
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the specific Drinking Water Treatment Unit Standard, the WQA Drinking Water Treatment Unit Scheme, the
production process, and the quality system. All elements of the Full Assessment may not be covered during
a Surveillance Assessment.
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services, toxicological reviews, or product testing that may be used for certification.
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hardness in water.
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consumption.
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3 Selection
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The applicant shall request the Standard they would like their product Certified to that falls within this Certification
Scheme. This information is verified by a completed product datasheet.
DWTU standards were developed for testing entire systems but have also been used to evaluate components by the
drinking water treatment industry. WQA allows certification of components to the DWTU standards when they
comply with material safety and/or structural integrity requirements of the standard as applicable.
3.1
Application Process for Certification
Required documents include: Agreement, Product Datasheet, and Wetted Parts List/Formulation Sheet
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3.1.1 Agreement
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3.1.1.1 A Company must have a valid “WQA Gold Seal Certification Contract Agreement”
(FORM.04087) on file with WQA, or one must be completed, signed and returned by the
Company to the WQA Certification Department before attestation activities can commence.
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3.1.1.2 WQA’s agreements are available through WQA or can be obtained through WQA’s website,
www.wqa.org.
3.1.2
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3.1.1.3 The WQA Gold Seal Certification Contract Agreement is valid for the duration that a Company
successfully maintains a Certified product with WQA, commencing on the date an officer from
WQA signs the Agreement.
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Product Datasheet
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3.1.2.1 Datasheet Requirements
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3.1.2.1.1 See Table 3-1 for a list of current datasheets for products falling within this
Certification Scheme.
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3.1.2.1.2 For Another Name For/Private Label applications, an ANF form (FORM.04084) shall
be completed and signed by the manufacturer who owns the test data (for Private
Label products only) in lieu of a datasheet.
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3.1.2.1.2.1 An ANF Company cannot grant permission for other Companies to
ANF a product without the consent of the Company that owns the
data.
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3.1.2.1.3 Product families can be grouped on one datasheet as long as the performance and
treatment technology characteristics are the same.
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Table 3-1: Datasheets
STANDAND(S)
FORM.04066
NSF/ANSI 42, NSF/ANSI 53, WQA S-200, CAN/CSA-B483.1-07
FORM.04067
Ultraviolet Microbiological
NSF/ANSI 55, CAN/CSA-B483.1-07
FORM.04073
Reverse Osmosis
NSF/ANSI 58, WQA S-300, CAN/CSA-B483.1-07
FORM.04068
Distillation
NSF/ANSI 62, WQA S-400, CAN/CSA-B483.1-07
FORM.04072
Shower Filtration
NSF/ANSI 177
FORM.05060
Microbiological Water Purifiers
USEPA Microbiological /NSF Protocol P231/ORD 0901
FORM.05059
Ozone Generators
NSF/ANSI 222
FORM.11019
Drinking Water Treatment
Systems
CAN/CSA-B483.1-07 (only)
FORM.11005
DWTU Components
NSF/ANSI 42/44/58/CSA B483.1
FORM.12029
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NSF/ANSI 44, WQA S-100, CAN/CSA-B483.1-07
Water Filters
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FORM NUMBER
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Cation Exchange Water
Softeners
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PRODUCT TYPE
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3.1.3 Wetted Parts List (WPL) and/or Formulation Sheet
3.1.3.1 A separate WPL is required for each product (for process media, see 3.1.3.2) from each
manufacturing facility.
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3.1.3.1.1 If multiple units have identical wetted parts, one WPL with all model numbers
listed on it may be submitted.
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3.1.3.2 A formulation sheet from each manufacturing facility is required for process media being
Certified as a component.
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3.1.3.3 Waste streams of RO systems or brine systems for water softeners do not require material
formulation disclosure.
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3.1.3.4 A Company that blends materials to fabricate a treatment element (e.g. carbon block or
blended media mixture) shall submit complete formulation information for each ingredient.
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3.1.3.5 A formulation sheet may also be required when a toxicology review determines additional
information is needed. If WQA is unable to obtain complete formulation of specific
components or materials a plant inspection of the secondary material or secondary supplier
shall be required.
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3.1.3.6 Lead shall not be added as intentional ingredient in any material contacting drinking water,
except brass meeting the definition of "lead free" under the specific provisions of the most
current Safe Drinking Water Act of the United States.
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The use of Dimethylformamide (DMF) is prohibited in WQA listed solvent cements and
primers.
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3.1.3.7 Certified products may contain components from secondary or tertiary supply companies.
WQA’s Gold Seal Program shall place responsibility on the certified company to ensure that all
secondary suppliers do not change their material formulations or component suppliers.
Certified companies shall have a written agreement with each supplier stating that their
component or material formulation is being used in a product that is certified by the Water
Quality Association. Changes cannot be made to a component or formulation without
informing the certified company or the Water Quality Association via a CCP prior to making
the change and receiving confirmation from the Water Quality Association that the change is
allowed.
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3.1.3.8 Form numbers for the Wetted Parts Lists and Formulations are indicated in Table 3-2.
Alternative formats will be accepted if the minimum required information is present in
another format.
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Table 3-2: Wetted Parts Lists and Formulation Information
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DESCRIPTION
Wetted Parts List
FORM. 09044
Wetted Parts List Instructions
FORM. 09046
Formulation Sheet
FORM. 09045
Formulation Instructions
FORM. 09047
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3.1.4 Optional Information
The following additional information may also be submitted for review to reduce duplicate testing.
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3.1.4.1 Other current certification Listings by a Certification Body officially approved as competent to
carry out certification by a national accreditation body.
3.1.4.1.1
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If the material/component makes up less than 25% of the total wetted
surface area of the product (not including the surface area of the media or
underbedding) under evaluation, and the material and or component is
certified according to another NSF/ANSI standard that includes material
safety testing by an approved, accredited certification body, the test data
from the supplier will not be required.
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3.1.4.1.1.1 For materials that are unknown, new, or known to be hazardous
or toxic, this provision may not be applicable.
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3.1.4.1.1.2 If the certification listing includes any use restrictions, they must
be followed, as applicable, in order for this provision to be
applicable.
For POU DWTUs, the test battery for media may be different than what is
required in NSF/ANSI 61. Therefore, medias certified according to NSF/
ANSI 61 may only be used if the test data to support it has been obtained
and reviewed.
3.1.4.1.3
This is meant to be a set of guidelines, and is not meant to eliminate
judgment based on experience or technical expertise.
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3.1.4.1.2
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3.1.4.2 Test data from a laboratory or certification body on any product or component being
considered for certification. Test reports will be accepted five years from the completion date
unless the product maintains a current listing with another approved accredited certification
body and the recertification testing has not yet been completed.
3.1.4.3 Material approvals referenced on wetted parts lists, such as FDA Title 21, Generally
Recognized As Safe (GRAS).
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3.1.4.4 Rework materials are permitted as long as there is no impact on the chemical extraction or
structural integrity of the material. The Company(s) shall document their rational that
demonstrates chemical extraction and structural integrity allowance for rework material.
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3.1.4.5 Product literature, such as data plates, performance data sheets, operation/installation
guides.
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3.1.4.6 Data Transfer Application (FORM.04085).
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3.1.4.7 Change to Certified Product Form (FORM.05011).
3.1.4.9 Exploded View Diagram (EVD).
3.1.5 RUSH Request to Expedite Projects (Optional at Additional Cost)
3.1.5.1 Upon request, WQA can provide RUSH pricing for projects that need to be expedited. The
time line for rush projects can vary based upon availability of the laboratory and certification
staff. Customers should indicate the need to RUSH a project as part of the application process.
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3.1.4.8 Wetted parts list for sub-assemblies.
3.2
Application Review
A technical review of submitted information will be performed to ensure completeness, accuracy, and the
scope of the certification project.
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3.2.1 Selection of Product Testing Requirements from the Standard(s) Requested for Certification
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3.2.1.2 Not all sections from each standard are required for product certification.
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3.2.1.1 Table 3-3 outlines the minimum requirements for certification for systems making
performance claims or components according to each applicable standard.
3.2.1.1.1 Point-of-Use systems may obtain certification for materials safety and
structural integrity according to the applicable DWTU standard as long as
the product literature does not make any claims about performance that
are covered by the applicable standard.
3.2.1.1.2 Point-of-Entry systems that would like to obtain certification for materials
safety only should go through NSF/ANSI 61 certification.
TH
IS
DO
CU
M
EN
T
IS
PR
IN
TE
D
FO
R
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
ON
LY
AN
D
IS
NO
T
A
CO
3.2.1.3 Technical justifications and applicable product bracketing may be utilized based on
CSOP.06016 when requesting Certification for multiple products.
08-09-2013
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Page 11 of 31
Drinking Water Treatment Units
Table 3-3: Requirements for Product Certification according to Industry Standards
POUNSF/ANSI 53
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
 Replacement
Component
(if present)
Rated Service Flow
Pressure Drop (POE)
Minimum Service Flow
One reduction claim
Reduction claims
are voluntary – but
a minimum of one
is required for
Certification





PID (if present)
POE Pressure Drop
Minimum Service Flow
Rated Service Flow
One reduction claim
Reduction claims
are voluntary – but
a minimum of one
is required for
Certification
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
 Replacement
Component
(if present)
Per
NSF/ANSI 42
or
NSF/ANSI 53
Per
NSF/ANSI 42
or
NSF/ANSI 53
 Plus Packaging
Barium/Radium
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
Salt Efficiency
Water
Consumption
Barium/Radium
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
IS
 Life Cycle
NT
RO
LL
ED




CO
POE –
NSF/ANSI 61
NSF/ANSI 53
or
WQA S-200
 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
10,11
A
POUNSF/ANSI 42
8,9
Literature
Requirements
T
POE –NSF/ANSI
61
Elective
Performance
Claims
CO
PY
(if pressure
6, 7
bearing)
3,4,5
NSF/ANSI 42
or
WQA S-200
Minimum Performance
Requirements
NO
1,2
FILTERS
Structural
Performance
Material
Evaluation
Standards
(faucet connected systems)
LY
 Regenerant Tank Over Flow
(POE)
 Regenerant Tank Safety Float
(POE)
 Faucet Testing
 Softening Performance
 Capacity/Rinse Effectiveness
 Brine System Accuracy
 Pressure Drop
 Salt Efficiency
 Water Consumption
POE –
NSF/ANSI 61
POU –
NSF/ANSI 44
FO
TE
D
 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
IN
POU –
NSF/ANSI 44
Per
NSF/ANSI 44
Per
NSF/ANSI 44
M
NSF/ANSI 55
POE –
NSF/ANSI 61
POU –
NSF/ANSI 55
 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
(open discharge)
TH
IS
DO
CU
ULTRAVIOLET
MICROBIOLOGICAL
EN
T
CAN/CSAB483.1
POE –
NSF/ANSI 61
IS
Not Efficiency
Rated
 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
R
Efficiency
Rated
NSF/ANSI 44
or
WQA S-100
PR
SOFTENERS
NSF/ANSI 44
or
WQA S-100
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
CAN/CSAB483.1
Per
NSF/ANSI 42
or
NSF/ANSI 53
ON
Per
NSF/ANSI 42
or
NSF/ANSI 53
AN
D
(shut off/check valves and diverters)
 Thermal Cycle




Softening Performance
Capacity/Rinse Effectiveness
Brine System Accuracy
Pressure Drop




Life Cycle (bypass valve)
Brine Tank Over Flow
Brine Tank Safety Float
Performance Indication
(Class A Only)
UV Alarm
Flow Control
Lamp Operation
UV Sensitivity
Microbial Performance





Per NSF/ANSI 44
 Plus Packaging
Class A or Class B
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
Class A or Class B
(for POU systems)
NSF/ANSI 55
 Plus Packaging
 Life Cycle
CAN/CSAB483.1
Per
NSF/ANSI 55
Per
NSF/ANSI 55
(shut off/check valves and diverters)
 Thermal Cycle
(faucet connected systems)
 Faucet Testing
08-09-2013
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Page 12 of 31
Drinking Water Treatment Units
Table 3-3: Requirements for Product Certification according to Industry Standards
8,9





 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
Required
TDS Reduction
Efficiency Rating
Air Gap
Daily Production Rate
Storage Tank Capacity
(shut off and check valves)
Per
NSF/ANSI 58
A
 Thermal Cycle
(faucet connected systems)
POU –
NSF/ANSI 62
NO
IS
 TDS Reduction
 Flow Control
AN
D
 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
Per
NSF/ANSI 62
NSF/ANSI 177
Materials shall
not contain lead
as an intentional
ingredient
 Hydrostatic
 Cyclic
 Faucet Testing
 Life Cycle
ON
Per
NSF/ANSI 62
NSF/ANSI 62
 Plus Packaging
(shut off/check valves and diverters)
 Thermal Cycle
 (faucet connected systems)
RE
FE
RE
NC
 Minimum Service Flow
 Rated Service Flow
 Free Available Chlorine
Reduction
 Ozone Concentration
 Output Rate
N/A
 Bacteria
 Virus
 Cyst
FO
No air, ozone, or
coolant leaks
shall be detected
during normal
operation
TE
D
OZONE
Ozone-resistant
material review
PURIFIERS
DMICROBIOLOGICAL
OC
UM
EN
T
IS
PR
IN
NSF/ANSI 222
N/A
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
N/A
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
N/A
 No requirements
in Standard; see
WQA
Certification
Requirements
Must comply w/
NSF/ANSI 42,
53, 55, 58, 62,
as applicable
Must comply w/
NSF/ANSI 42,
53, 55, 58, 62,
as applicable
 Bacteria
 Virus
 Cyst
N/A
NSF/ANSI
42, 44, 53, 58
08-09-2013
Must comply w/
NSF/ANSI
42, 44, 53, 58,
as applicable
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
 Replacement
Component
(if present)
IS
P231
DWTU
12,13
COMPONENT
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
E
CAN/CSAB483.1
USEPA
Microbiological
TH
NSF/ANSI 58
 Plus Packaging
LY
NSF/ANSI 62
or
WQA S-400
Additional
performance
claims are
voluntary
Performance
Indication
R
SHOWER
FILTRATION
DISTILLERS
 Faucet Testing
POE –
NSF/ANSI 61
 Data Plate
 PDS
 Instruction
Manual
NT
CO
 Life Cycle
Per
NSF/ANSI 58
10,11
Additional
performance
claims are
voluntary
 Recovery Rating
 Open
Atmosphere
(if applicable)
CAN/CSAB483.1
Literature
Requirements
CO
PY
(if pressure
6, 7
bearing)
3,4,5
Elective
Performance
Claims
LL
ED
NSF/ANSI 58
or
WQA S-300
Minimum Performance
Requirements
T
REVERSE OSMOSIS
1,2
Structural
Performance
Material
Evaluation
RO
Standards
Must comply w/
NSF/ANSI
42, 44, 53, 58,
as applicable
N/A
Drinking Water Treatment Units
N/A
 No requirements
in Standard; see
WQA
Certification
Requirements
Page 13 of 31
Drinking Water Treatment Units
1
2
WQA allows testing on prototype samples, however, confirmation tests or examination, as appropriate, should be made on
production samples.
3
CO
PY
WQA will evaluate all products and determine their applicability to the standard and each section of the standard. If any portion of
the testing is not applicable to the end use application of the product, modifications may be made in conjunction with listing notes
to indicate how the requirements of the standard were modified.
LL
ED
WQA Standards and USEPA Microbiological Water Purifiers standard allow for material compliance to FDA CFR Title 21 in lieu of
extraction testing. This must be indicated on the wetted parts list.
4
CO
NT
RO
Formulation Review - In conflict with ISO/IEC 17007, many of the NSF/ANSI Standards briefly describe a formulation review
process. In compliance with ISO/IEC Guide 65, WQA follows CSOP.07001 when conducting formulation reviews to ensure the WQA
Certification Department has enough information to adequately prescribe extraction testing battery.
Any grade of SS that falls within Table C1 of NSF/ANSI 61 may be used without additional testing as long as the
manufacturer can provide either proof that the composition of the SS matches what is in the table or that they are using SS
that has been manufactured in accordance with one of the ASTM standards that the table references for that specific grade
of SS. If proof is unattainable, an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) scan may be conducted to determine the composition of SS to
determine whether or not Extraction testing is required. The comparison will use only the main constituents listed in Table
C1 that are detectable via the XRF. Minor impurities detected by the XRF that are not included on Table C1 will not be
included in the comparison.
•
When components and media binders are manufactured with polyethylene (PE) and/or polypropylene (PP) that meets the
requirements of CFR 21 177.1520, at least one supplier will be tested for extraction. When additives are disclosed,
extraction testing may be waived if deemed appropriate after technical review. CFR compliance has no bearing on
structural and contaminant reduction testing evaluation.
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
Extraction testing
• De minimus may be used to waive or reduce requirements.
Whole-system extraction testing may be waived if components, when separately tested, meet requirements for materials
safety and are assembled in a manner that does not introduce any new components or increase the surface area-to-volume
ratio of previously evaluated components. A technical review will determine whether a cumulative effects review is
necessary.
•
Alternate materials or suppliers shall be evaluated to determine if testing of the specific components or materials will be
conducted. Not all alternately molded materials will require testing. Factors will be taken into consideration such as the
type of material, wetted surface area of the material, the molders in which the material is coming from, the formulator of
the material and past experience with the material and specific molders/suppliers.
FO
R
•
Alternate materials or suppliers of pressure bearing components shall be evaluated to determine what testing may be required.
PR
6
IN
TE
D
5
ON
LY
AN
D
IS
NO
T
A
•
7
Delineations of non-certified claims may be made. See the Gold Seal Logo Policies for instruction.
9
M
8
EN
T
IS
Loosening of housings is not considered a failure during cycle testing. Loosening can be caused by the torque of the hoses when
they are pressurized and depressurized. Re-tightening will occur and the Company will be notified.
DO
CU
Alternate materials or suppliers of critical components that affect performance of the system shall be evaluated to determine
what testing may be required.
TH
IS
10
Gold Seal usage must follow WQA Gold Seal Logo Use Policies.
11
Literature requirements may not be required on a Certified product if it is not sold as a complete system to a consumer.
12
Typically Certified for material safety and/or structural integrity
08-09-2013
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Page 14 of 31
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3.2.2 Certification of Products Listed by another Certification Body
3.2.2.1 A Company may request a transfer of Certification from a Certification Body approved as
competent to carry out certification by a national accreditation body.
LL
ED
CO
PY
3.2.2.1.1 All certification scheme documentation must be received and approved by WQA
within 12 months of WQA Certification in order to maintain certification. If
documentation from the other certification body is unattainable, testing through
WQA will be necessary.
RO
3.2.2.1.2 All available test data (performed for the intent of certification purposes)
applicable to the product from initial certification to the current date shall be
provided.
CO
NT
3.2.2.1.3 If a complaint is initiated from the certification body where the test data originated
due to non-disclosure of all test results, any expenses incurred by WQA from the
investigation shall be passed onto the Company.
T
A
3.2.3 Changes to a Certified Product (CCP)
AN
D
IS
NO
A CCP may include one or more of the following: supplier changes, material changes, addition of new
components, manufacturing processes, facility location moves, addition or deletion of claims, model
number, Company or brand name changes.
3.2.3.1 WQA will perform a technical review of the proposed change to determine if additional
Certification activity is required, such as testing, auditing, or documentation needs.
E
ON
LY
3.2.3.1.1 Performance testing, when required, will be based on specification comparisons to
the original certified material. Spot check testing may be performed in lieu of the
full testing battery.
RE
FE
RE
NC
3.2.3.1.1.1 For water softener performance claims, the testing results must be
within 10% of the original results.
3.2.3.1.1.2 For all other published claims, the testing results must be within 3% of
the original results.
IN
TE
D
FO
R
3.2.3.1.1.3 For all performance claims, if the results from the spot check testing
are equal to or better than the original test results, the change will be
accepted.
3.2.3.1.1.4 Literature changes will not be required if alternates are approved
within the constraints above.
PR
3.2.4 Other Certification Evaluations
TH
IS
DO
CU
M
EN
T
IS
3.2.4.1 Multiple production facilities
08-02-2013
3.2.4.1.1 If WQA can determine that suppliers, materials, and manufacturing process, if
applicable, are identical across multiple facilities, testing from all facilities may not
be required.
3.2.4.2 Customized Certification
Based on specific product type and end use, Standard requirements may be modified or
waived.
3.2.4.2.1 Certification will be maintained based on footnotes accompanying the public
listings. Listing notes may also be required to be placed on product literature.
Drinking Water Treatment Units
Page 15 of 31
Drinking Water Treatment Units
3.2.4.3 System Assembler Certification
3.2.4.3.1 A Company that assembles WQA tested or Certified components may obtain
authorization for Certification without additional performance testing.
CO
PY
This process is typically used when water softener valve manufacturers submit generic
complete systems for performance testing to lower Certification costs for Companies who
purchase their products.
LL
ED
3.2.4.3.2 The Company of the tested products shall provide WQA written authorization to
use their data for assemblers.
Facility Assessment Review
CO
3.3
NT
RO
3.2.4.3.3 The Company (Assembler) shall complete all required application documentation
to begin the Certification process.
A
A review of the submitted application material is used to determine the facility location and if the facility is
currently being audited on an annual basis (which is the minimum requirement) by WQA.
NO
T
WQA does not conduct plant inspections of secondary material or secondary supplier companies.
IS
3.3.1 New Facility
AN
D
3.3.1.1 WQA will perform a full assessment of new facilities where the following activities occur:
•
•
•
ON
LY
The control of final assembly
Where Gold Seals are applied to the product
Production locations
E
3.3.2 Existing Facility
RE
FE
RE
NC
3.3.2.1 Previous audit history and non-conformities of the Certifying Company will be reviewed. If
non-conformities affecting Certification are open, they will need to be closed or a facility
assessment will be required.
3.3.2.2 Corruptness Assessment
TE
D
FO
R
3.3.2.2.1 Any reasons that lend doubt to the quality system such as audit history,
complaints, or testing history shall be considered to determine if a facility
assessment will be required.
3.3.2.3 Changes to a Facility for currently Certified Products
3.3.2.3.1.1 If there is a change to equipment and processes, WQA may perform a
full assessment of the facility prior to Certification.
3.3.2.4 Additional Manufacturing Location
3.3.2.4.1 For products already certified and an additional manufacturing location is being
added for the exact same product, WQA will perform a full assessment of the
facility.
TH
IS
DO
CU
M
EN
T
IS
PR
IN
3.3.2.3.1 If the same equipment is being used and it is only a change in location, WQA will
perform an assessment of the new facility at the new location on its normally
scheduled annual assessment.
08-02-2013
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Page 16 of 31
Drinking Water Treatment Units
Table 3-4: Determination of Audit Location*
OFF-SITE AUDIT
Yes
No
Facility has been audited by WQA in the previous calendar year for the
same product technology and has no open findings
No
No
Facility has been audited by WQA in the previous calendar year for the
same product technology but has unresolved quality issues or findings
Yes
Facility has been audited by WQA in the previous calendar year but the
audit was conducted for a different product technology
Yes
No
NO
T
A
CO
NT
No
Yes
IS
No
AN
D
For new Private Label/Another Name For (ANF) product(s) and the Facility
of the Original Product has been audited by WQA in the previous calendar
year
LL
ED
Facility has not been audited by WQA in current or previous calendar year
RO
ON-SITE AUDIT
CO
PY
AUDIT CIRCUMSTANCE
Proposal
ON
3.4
LY
*In all cases, WQA reserves the right to change the audit type and location.
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
3.4.1 A Proposal Approval Form (PAF), FORM.04092, will be sent to the client for approval before
Determination activities begin. A signed proposal is considered approval to move forward with the
project.
TE
D
FO
R
3.4.1.1 The PAF will list all anticipated fees required for Certification, including, but not limited to,
Facility Assessments, Testing requirements and Certification requirements. A deposit may be
required prior to moving forward with Certification activities. The PAF will not be exceeded
without prior notification to the Company. Failure to approve additional necessary charges
may cancel the Certification application.
IN
3.4.2 A Test Unit Submittal Form, FORM.06002, may be provided by WQA specifying any samples needed for
testing.
IS
PR
3.4.2.1 Samples should be representative of the entire line or group of products to be certified, and
should be made using components and sub-assemblies identical to those used in production,
made from production tools and assembled using methods established for the production run.
M
EN
T
4 Determination
Testing
TH
IS
DO
CU
4.1
4.1.1 Testing Locations
4.1.1.1 The Water Quality Association Laboratory
4.1.1.2 The Company’s facilities or alternate site acceptable to WQA in accordance with WQA’s
testing procedures (see WQA SOP.00005).
4.1.1.3 A recognized testing laboratory qualified according to WQA requirements for technical service
providers (see WQA QSOP.06009).
08-02-2013
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Drinking Water Treatment Units
4.1.1.3.1 Companies will have the option to decline any recognized testing laboratory that is
used to produce work used toward Certification projects.
4.1.2 R&D work conducted at the WQA Laboratory
CO
PY
4.1.2.1 The Laboratory can perform protocols directly from the Standards for this purpose, or
perform and develop customer-specific test protocols. The Laboratory is also available to
arrange and/or perform analytical testing.
RO
LL
ED
4.1.2.2 WQA may deny testing requests for products manufactured by the applicant's competitors in
the industry that have or have had products certified by WQA. If competitive testing is
conducted by WQA, test results cannot be published, used for promotional comparisons or for
marketing/advertising against competitive products.
NT
4.1.3 Data Verification
T
A
CO
Once all data generated during the course of testing is verified and determined to be correct and
complete, the results of the testing are evaluated against the requirements of the Standard in order to
determine the testing outcome.
IS
NO
4.1.3.1 If testing results meet or exceed all criteria in the applicable Standard, then the test shall be
given a “Pass” result.
AN
D
4.1.3.2 If testing results do not meet all criteria in the Standard, then the test shall be given a “Fail”
result.
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
ON
LY
4.1.3.2.1 If a Company receives failing test results from WQA, the Company shall inform
WQA what they felt was the root cause of the failure and satisfactorily explain
what has been corrected or changed before WQA performs retesting of the
product(s).
4.1.3.3 If testing is performed and only partially completed, then the test shall be given an
“Incomplete” result.
4.1.3.4 If materials evaluation testing is performed and compliance to the Standard cannot be verified
without toxicological evaluation, then the test shall be given a “Complete” result.
TE
D
FO
R
4.1.3.4.1 Contaminants that have extracted or been normalized to a concentration of 50 ppt
or less shall be considered a “pass” unless a known EPA level is below the 50 ppt
level.
PR
IN
4.1.3.4.2 Regardless of extraction testing outcome (i.e. pass, complete, fail, etc), a final
toxicological evaluation is required to ensure the full analytical test battery was
completed and all values are acceptable.
EN
T
IS
4.1.3.5 Test data shall be reported to the Company upon completion and verification as long as the
Company is in good standing with WQA and all outstanding invoices have been paid.
TH
IS
DO
CU
M
4.1.4 Test Samples
4.2
All test samples will be disposed of by WQA upon the completion of testing, unless pre-arranged with
the Company. If the Company wants the samples returned after testing is complete, the Company shall
pay for the shipping and handling of the returned samples.
4.1.4.1 Samples that fail testing shall be retained for 30 days after the Company has been notified of
the failure. Following the 30-day time period, the sample shall be discarded unless prior
arrangements have been made by the Company to pay shipping and handling for the
product’s return.
Other Testing Information
4.2.1 Contaminant Reduction Testing for Replacement Component/Elements
08-02-2013
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Drinking Water Treatment Units
4.2.1.1 A replacement element Company that maintains a material safety Certification with WQA may
have the element tested in accordance to the drinking water treatment unit Standard(s) for
contaminant reduction. The test results will not be certified but may be used by complete
system Companies for Certification in conjunction with other compliance testing as required.
CO
PY
4.2.2 Testing Self-Adjusting Water Softeners
NT
RO
LL
ED
4.2.2.1 Manufacturers of and Companies that sell water softeners that adjust their salt settings based
on water use and water characteristics shall be tested at a minimum, at their lowest, midpoint and highest achievable salt settings for capacity and efficiency ratings. For the
softener to be efficiency rated all possible salt settings in the efficiency mode must achieve an
efficiency of 3350 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt (4000 grains/pound for
California rated systems). WQA shall verify that the certified salt settings can be achieved by
reasonable water use patterns. Verification shall be conducted by one of the following means:
Confirm that the manufacturer’s algorithm can choose all certified salt settings and that
they can be chosen under reasonable water use patterns.
•
Perform water use testing to determine salt selections of the certified system.
NO
T
A
CO
•
ON
LY
AN
D
IS
4.2.2.1.1 Self-adjusting water softeners shall contain a “regeneration now” button that is set
to a specific salt setting (typically the highest certified setting). Brine accuracy
testing of self-adjusting water softeners shall be conducted using the “regenerate
now” button to ensure that the correct amount of brine will be drawn from the
brine tank during regeneration. The brine fill times supplied by the manufacturer
or Company shall be used to verify that the low and middle salt settings shall
deliver the correct amount of brine during regeneration.
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
4.2.2.1.2 If software automatically adjusts salt dosages based upon volumetric capacity used,
water hardness, water iron content or water TDS, a water softener may not be an
efficiency rated softener, if the software could set the salt dosage for a value
higher than the salt dosage for the minimum required efficiency rating.
TE
D
FO
R
4.2.2.1.3 If software automatically adjusts salt dosages based on use pattern or volumetric
capacity used, water hardness, water iron content or water TDS, and all salt
dosages are equal to or less than the salt dosage for the minimum required
efficiency rating, the salt efficiency for the maximum salt dosage shall be stated at
the level that the salt efficiency for the minimum salt dosage appears. This would
include literature requirements and marketing material.
IN
4.2.3 Systems with Raw Water Blending Options
M
EN
T
IS
PR
4.2.3.1 Systems with the ability to blend treated and raw water together will be tested with the
blending function disabled. When the blending function is in operation, the certification of the
performance claims is no longer valid due to the uncertainty of the raw water which is being
blended with the treated water. This limitation to the product certification must be
communicated to the consumer.
TH
IS
DO
CU
4.2.4 Integral Component Certification
4.2.4.1 Certification for integral components that are part of complete systems with a holding volume
of one gallon or greater such as ROs, softeners, and POE systems will be evaluated using the
following:
4.2.4.1.1 Materials safety testing of integral components shall be normalized to 2L during
extraction testing of those individual components.
4.2.4.1.2 When a company would like to make a change to a certified product and the
change relates to an integral component within the system, the testing of these
components shall be normalized to 2L during extraction testing.
08-02-2013
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4.2.5 Cyst Testing according to NSF/ANSI 53
4.2.5.1 If a product qualifies for cyst reduction capabilities according to NSF/ANSI 53, the product also
meets the cyst test requirement of USEPA Purifier Standard and NSF P231.
4.2.6.1 Accepted as a surrogate for the bacteria and virus requirements under USEPA Purifier
Standard and P231.
CO
PY
4.2.6 Microbiological Surrogates
NT
RO
LL
ED
4.2.6.1.1 For mechanical filtration or UV devices, MS2 may be used when log reduction is
equivalent to pathogen class requirement it is representing. To cover all pathogen
classes with MS2 bacteriophage alone, the mechanical filtration or UV device must
achieve a 6 log reduction.
CO
4.2.6.1.2 A surrogate for any pathogen class may be used if evidence can be provided to
show comparability to the pathogen class to be substituted.
T
A
4.2.7 Toxicological Evaluation Allowable Levels are Public Information
4.3
ON
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AN
D
IS
NO
4.2.7.1 WQA performs toxicological studies to determine allowable levels of contaminants that leach
from products during extraction testing. After WQA’s toxicologists have determined the safe
allowable level of contaminant(s) (for which no public safety level or Standard has been
established), the results will be reviewed by WQA toxicological review panel. After the panel
reviews the study and agrees to the final allowable level WQA will make that value public
information. This information may be made available to regulators, consumers and the
industry.
Facility Assessment Activities (Full Assessments)
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NC
E
Audits assess the capability of a facility to control the quality and continuing conformity of its products to the
requirements of relevant specifications. WQA shall be granted access to all facilities and production locations
of the Company during normal operation hours.
4.3.1 Audits are typically announced, but WQA may conduct un-announced audits at any time.
FO
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4.3.1.1 All expenses for cancelled announced and unannounced audits are the responsibility of the
certified company.
TE
D
4.3.2 Specifics of facility assessment details are outlined in the WQA Facility Assessment Plan (FAP).
4.3.3 The first audit of a manufacturing facility will be a full, quality-based assessment.
PR
IN
4.3.3.1 Every five years thereafter, a full, quality-based assessment will be re-conducted.
T
IS
4.3.3.2 WQA reserves the right to conduct full assessments more frequently than the prescribed
timeframe of once every five years.
TH
IS
DO
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M
EN
4.3.4 Full Assessments Include:
4.3.4.1 Review of the production process
4.3.4.2 Evaluation of the facility’s quality system
4.3.4.3 Evaluation of product information
4.3.4.3.1 EVD (if available)
4.3.4.3.2 WPL
4.3.4.3.3 Bill of Materials
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4.3.5 Exceptions to a Prescribed On-Site Audit
4.3.5.1 Travel restrictions according to the U.S. Department of State, WQA shall perform off-site
audits until the travel restriction has been lifted.
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4.3.5.2 An auditor unable to perform an audit due to illness or injury may perform an off-site audit to
complete certification until another on-site audit can be scheduled, typically conducted within
six months.
RO
LL
ED
4.3.5.3 The same product models are manufactured at a new production facility using the same
production process and quality system as a facility that is currently assessed by WQA, an offsite audit may be conducted until an on-site audit can be scheduled.
CO
NT
4.3.5.4 When off-site audits are conducted for any of the reasons above, WQA will require submittal
of all documents that are reviewed during an on-site Facility Assessment process and WQA
may request product samples for testing and review.
NO
T
A
4.3.5.5 A new Another Name For (ANF)/Private Label Company if the original manufacturing facility is
in good standing.
AN
D
IS
4.3.5.5.1 Documentation shall be requested from the manufacturer of the originally Certified
product as well as the ANF/Private Label product to verify equivalency.
4.3.6 Evaluation of the Assessment Result
ON
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4.3.6.1 The Facility Assessment Department shall inform the applicant through a Final Assessment
Letter on the outcome of the assessment, which will include any findings as well as a
timeframe for reconciliation.
E
4.3.6.1.1 Major Findings can include:
RE
FE
RE
NC
4.3.6.1.1.1 Improper use of the Gold Seal
4.3.6.1.1.2 Changes to Certified Products, components, or materials without
notification to WQA
4.3.6.1.2 Minor Findings can include:
FO
R
4.3.6.1.2.1 Records not being retained for required timeframe
TE
D
4.3.6.1.2.2 Complaint system not being followed or implemented
IN
4.3.6.2 If any findings are not reconciled to the satisfaction of WQA, or not within the allowed
timeframe, an additional assessment may be conducted.
T
Literature Requirements
EN
4.4
IS
PR
4.3.6.3 The findings and recommendations will be reviewed to determine the frequency and duration
of surveillance audits.
TH
IS
DO
CU
M
4.4.1 Required literature must meet the requirements of the applicable standard(s) and the WQA Gold Seal
requirements for literature. (See WQA Gold Seal Logo Policies and Table 3-3 of this document.)
4.4.1.1 Based on the size of literature, some requirements may be modified and or waived.
4.4.1.2 Some manufacturers produce generic systems for sake of product assemblers, in these cases,
the original company will not be required to maintain complete system product literature.
4.4.1.3 In all cases, WQA reserves the right to waive the use of the Gold Seal on products, packaging,
and/or literature for reasons decided upon between WQA and the Certifying Company.
4.4.1.4 Final print versions of literature will not be required prior to the decision on certification as
long as the following provisions are followed:
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Some literature requires revision due to a health or safety concern. In these
cases the requested changes must be in print form and implemented prior to
obtaining certification or approval for the change.
4.4.1.4.2
The company must provide WQA with an electronic version of the corrected
literature. Handwritten revisions will not be acceptable for use.
4.4.1.4.3
The company may use existing stock of literature for up to one year as determined
by WQA.
RO
LL
ED
CO
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4.4.1.4.1
CO
NT
4.4.1.4.3.1 When existing literature will be used, WQA will maintain two
sets of approved literature for audit purposes.
NO
T
A
4.4.1.4.3.2 The unchanged literature will be approved only for a specified
amount of time and may not be used post the date marked on
the literature.
LY
Literature that is made in multiple languages including English will not require a
complete review by WQA.
ON
4.4.1.4.4
AN
D
IS
4.4.1.4.3.3 The electronic version of the literature will not have a specified
time frame for the approval and may be used until changes to it
are approved through the program’s CCP process.
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
4.4.1.4.4.1 The English version of the literature will require a full review
and be approved as noted above by WQA.
TH
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IN
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4.4.1.4.4.2 For any other language, the company shall be responsible for
maintaining the intent of the language required when
translated. WQA will not approve these foreign language
documents.
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4.4.1.4.5
4.4.1.4.4.3 Should complaints be submitted to WQA regarding foreign
language literature, all translation and administration fees will
be at the expense of the certified company and will be
processed through the program’s CCP process. If it is found
that the translated literature does not meet the intent of the
English version a fine of $1000 will be assessed.
Literature that is made only in a foreign language will not be reviewed by WQA.
It will be the responsibility of the certified company to ensure that any applicable
literature requirements have been satisfied.
4.4.1.4.5.1 Literature requirements in part or in full may be waived if only
selling to foreign markets.
4.4.1.4.5.2 Should complaints be submitted to WQA regarding foreign
language literature, all translation and administration fees will
be at the expense of the certified company and will be
processed through the program’s CCP process. If it is found
that the foreign language literature is misleading and or false a
fine of $1000 will be assessed.
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4.4.1.5 Companies are required to notify WQA of any situation where a product bearing the Gold Seal
could lead to a potential hazard or if the Gold Seal is being misrepresented on a product that
is not Certified by WQA.
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4.4.1.6 Product Certifications that require safety labeling, if so required by the standard or by the
regulatory authority having jurisdiction, shall be written in English. If the product is being
sold in Canada, safety labeling is also required in French.
NT
RO
LL
ED
4.4.1.7 Companies that list a specific percent reduction of a contaminant that was tested by WQA
shall use test data rounded to appropriate significant digits provided by WQA using WQA’s
approved rounding rules. For NSF/ANSI Standard 53 reduction claims, one of the following
shall be used:
WQA suggests that the Company list both the average calculated value and lowest
calculated value of both pH tests for inorganic claims.
−
For VOC reduction claims, the percentages shown in the Standard for individual
contaminant reductions of chemicals under the VOC surrogate shall be used.
−
Detection limits shall be used for effluent calculations that are non-detected.
AN
D
IS
NO
T
A
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−
ON
LY
Percent reduction claims are typically calculated from the average percent influent and the
highest percent effluent value achieved throughout the entire length of the test.
RE
FE
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NC
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4.4.1.8 If a company indicates that a replacement component will fit into a competitor’s product, the
claim must be clearly delineated from any WQA claims and the implication cannot be made
that WQA supports such a claim.
FO
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4.4.1.9 Manufacturers that have passed the VOC testing parameters in the NSF/ANSI Standards shall
be allowed to make individual VOC claims that are listed in the VOC surrogate table on
product packaging.
When stating that the product removes a specific contaminant, also state in the same
sentence the percent removal as verified by test data. For example, “Product ABC will
remove up to 99% chlorine. See performance data sheet for details.”
TH
IS
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IN
−
TE
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4.4.1.10 Remove vs. reduce: Remove implies 100% reduction. Because it is impossible to guarantee
100% reduction for any single contaminant, there are two options available:
08-02-2013
−
Use the word “reduce” rather than “remove”. For example, “Product ABC reduces
chlorine, VOC and Cyst. See performance data sheet for details.”
Absolute statements: Statements such “Product ABC removes all organic contaminants” are
not acceptable. All absolute statements must be clearly defined as to the terms in which they
apply. For example, including a statement such as “All organic contaminants as tested through
the VOC surrogate and as listed on the performance data sheet are *reduced by the
percentages shown” is acceptable.
Pure, Clean, and Safe: These words should not be used to describe the water. Words such as
cleaner, safer or purer are acceptable. If absolute words such as pure, clean, and safe are
used, then it is strongly recommended that they are clearly defined. For example, “Our system
will provide you with pure* and clean* water.” The asterisk must lead to a comment such as,
“Pure and clean as defined by the contaminant reduction performance listed on the
performance data sheet.”
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Compliance with this policy does not ensure that your product literature will meet state, local,
or international requirements.
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Herbicides and Pesticides: General comments that a system *reduces herbicides and
pesticides cannot be used. Instead, reference to the specific contaminants must be made.
LL
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The connection may be made by stating, “see performance data sheet for specific herbicides
*reduced.”
RO
Implied Health Claims: Independent studies cannot be referenced to imply that exposure to
certain contaminants, that your system *reduces, will result in higher incidences of a disease.
CO
NT
Note: “Reduce” is allowed as long as the contaminant being reduced is not subject to percent
reduction based on oxidation-reduction reaction.
T
All necessary requirements will be evaluated to determine whether or not a recommendation for
certification can be made.
NO
5.1
A
5 Evaluation
IS
5.1.1 Evaluation Report
AN
D
5.1.1.1 A report on the outcome of the evaluation will be sent to the company contact.
ON
LY
5.1.1.2 If non-conformances are determined, the Company contact shall be notified of the required
corrective action and applicable timeframe necessary to attain conformance.
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
5.1.2 The Company shall be notified when non-conformities have been adequately addressed.
Correspondence regarding non-conformities may occur multiple times throughout the certification
process.
5.1.3 When making recommendations on certification, multiple capacity claims will be allowed for the same
certified model based on different test results. When this is done, specific wording must be in the
product literature to inform consumers of the meaning behind the different capacities.
R
Note: There can only be one capacity claimed per standard.
FO
5.1.4 Certified and non-certified products for the same company may not hold the same model number.
Decision on Certification (Granting)
IN
6.1
TE
D
6 Attestation
IS
PR
6.1.1 The recommendation to certify will be reviewed by an appropriately designated WQA employee, or
group of employees, that has not been involved in the evaluation process.
M
EN
T
6.1.1.1 The certification recommendation for accuracy and completeness is reviewed. If it is
determined that any outstanding non-conformities do not pose concern regarding integrity of
the certification, certification will be granted.
TH
IS
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6.1.2 Confirmation of Certification shall be sent to the Company.
6.1.2.1 An official letter will be provided, primarily via email.
6.1.2.2 A certificate of conformity may be created and made available to the Company contact for all
Certified products.
6.1.3 All Certified products shall be publically listed on the WQA website.
6.1.3.1 Additional claims, verification of performance indication device accuracy, conformance to
other Standards, and other variances, shall appear in a listing note.
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6.1.3.2 Components of systems that are Certified shall be allowed to be Listed on their own as a
component. The holding volume of the tested system that the component must be used in
will be noted.
6.2
Maintaining Certification
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6.2.1 Yearly Requirements
LL
ED
6.2.1.1 A minimum of one annual assessment shall be completed per facility.
6.2.1.2 The Company must be in good standing with WQA accounts receivables.
CO
6.2.1.4 Notification to WQA of any proposed changes to Certified products.
NT
RO
6.2.1.3 All non-conformities must be completed appropriately (such as facility assessments, literature
modifications, standard changes, expiring test data).
A
6.2.1.4.1 Approval must be granted by WQA before any changes are made.
NO
T
6.2.2 Sampling for any Required Testing
6.2.2.1 WQA may request samples based on the following:
AN
D
IS
6.2.2.1.1 Certification Department recommendation
6.2.2.1.2 Complaints
ON
6.2.2.1.4 Facility quality issues
LY
6.2.2.1.3 Unauthorized changes to Certified products
RE
FE
RE
NC
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6.2.2.2 Samples may be obtained from several outlets, including:
6.2.2.2.1 Selected from inventory by a WQA representative during an audit;
6.2.2.2.2 Purchased in the marketplace with the cost invoiced to the company;
6.2.2.2.3 Supplied by the manufacturer upon WQA request.
FO
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6.2.2.3 All samples shall be provided free of charge, marked in accordance with WQA’s sample
collection procedures, and shipped per WQA’s request.
TH
IS
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6.2.2.3.1 Testing failures
6.2.2.3.1.1 The Company shall determine the cause of the failed test results and
provide WQA a written proposed resolution to the identified source of
the failure.
6.2.2.3.1.2 The Company shall have 20 calendar days from WQA’s failure
notification to provide the written resolution.
6.2.2.3.1.2.1 If a resolution is not submitted within that time frame,
listing modifications will be made including possible delisting until an acceptable plan is submitted and retesting has passed applicable requirements.
6.2.2.3.1.3 After reviewing the resolution to the source of the failure, WQA shall
retest the product(s) and repeat only the necessary parts of the initial
Certification procedure to ensure compliance.
6.2.2.3.1.3.1 Products must be submitted within 30 calendar days
after the resolution has been approved.
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6.2.3 Modification of Certified Products
6.2.3.1 The Company shall notify WQA in writing, using WQA’s Change to Certified Product(s) form,
prior to any changes they intend to make to a Certified product(s), listing or aspect of a
certified product.
LL
ED
CO
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6.2.3.1.1 Changes include items such as: wetted parts, literature, documents as required by
the standards and policies, Company name or location, Company’s quality system,
a manufacturing process or other manufacturing plant changes.
RO
6.2.3.1.2 WQA shall review the proposed change(s) and notify the Company of the steps that
need to be taken to approve the change.
NT
6.2.3.1.3 The Company shall not make any changes to a Certified product(s) without
authorization from WQA.
T
A
CO
Note 1: Examples of Quality System changes that require WQA notification include:
final inspection and testing of the certified product and control of incoming
materials.
AN
D
IS
NO
Note 2: Examples of Manufacturing Process Changes that require WQA notification
include: Changing plant locations and significant changes made to how the certified
product is manufactured. Manufacturing processes that do not require notification
include: addition of another manufacturing line that uses the same processes as
originally certified and set up or modification of injection molding equipment.
ON
LY
6.2.3.2 Initiation of a change to a Certified product consists of the processes of selection,
determination, review, and attestation as described in this scheme.
E
6.2.4 Revision to a Standard or Regulation
RE
FE
RE
NC
6.2.4.1 WQA will adopt a Standard in a reasonable time frame based on when WQA is notified that a
new version has been published (not to exceed one year).
R
6.2.4.2 Product(s) certified or in-process prior to WQA’s effective date of the amended Standard shall
be re-evaluated and/or re-tested as applicable to ensure that they meet the revised Standard.
The review shall be conducted within a reasonable time frame (not to exceed one year).
TE
D
FO
6.2.4.3 After WQA has made a Standard or regulation effective, all new certifications shall be Certified
to and in compliance to all the terms stated in the revised Standard.
Extension of Certification / Re-certification
PR
6.3
IN
6.2.4.3.1 Failure to comply with the new version of the standard may result in de-listing of
products no longer compliant.
EN
T
IS
A certification project will be renewed a minimum of once every five years consisting of the processes of
selection, determination, evaluation, and attestation as described in this scheme.
TH
IS
DO
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6.3.1 Selection (see Section 3)
6.3.1.1 The renewal consists of updating any outdated documentation, re-testing as deemed
applicable by the technical review and revisions of literature due to performance result
changes.
6.3.1.1.1 Notice of extension/re-certification will be provided to the company the previous
year so each company has an opportunity to extend or de-list the products. WQA
assumes all certifications will be extended unless WQA receives written notice at
least six months prior to expiration to de-list the product(s).
6.3.1.1.2 Annual re-certification and testing fees may be assessed on an annual invoice.
6.3.1.2 Filtration products that make both health and aesthetic claims
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6.3.1.2.1 Re-testing of aesthetic claims may be waived based on a technical review that
would provide evidence that the integrity of the claim is still intact.
6.3.1.3 All products that make only aesthetic claims
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6.3.1.3.1 Re-testing of at least one aesthetic claim shall be conducted.
6.3.1.3.2 Additional aesthetic claim testing may be waived based on a technical review that
would provide evidence that the integrity of the remaining claims is still intact.
LL
ED
6.3.1.4 Product line discontinuation
RO
6.3.1.4.1 Extending the original certification before a new product line is effective may occur
at the discretion of WQA.
A
CO
NT
6.3.1.5 If an alternate supplier of a material has previously been evaluated and approved, re-testing
of all alternates will not be required. Re-testing will be conducted on the product in
production at the time of sampling.
NO
T
6.3.1.6 All other testing (for example, extraction, structural, pressure drop, etc) shall be conducted.
IS
6.3.1.7 Product for re-certification testing may be tagged during the facility inspection, pulled from a
retail location or requested to be sent by the facility.
AN
D
6.3.2 Determination (see Section 4)
6.3.2.1 Testing failures during the extension evaluation
ON
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6.3.2.1.1 The Company shall determine the cause of the failed test results and provide WQA
a written proposed resolution to the identified source of the failure.
RE
FE
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6.3.2.1.2 The Company shall have 20 calendar days from WQA’s failure notification to
provide the written resolution.
R
6.3.2.1.2.1 If a resolution is not submitted within that time frame, listing
modifications will be made including possible de-listing until an
acceptable plan is submitted and re-testing has passed applicable
requirements.
PR
IN
TE
D
FO
6.3.2.1.3 After reviewing the resolution to the source of the failure, WQA shall retest the
product(s) and repeat only the necessary parts of the initial Certification procedure
to ensure compliance.
6.3.2.1.3.1 Products must be submitted within 30 calendar days after the
resolution has been approved.
IS
6.3.3 Evaluation (see Section 5)
6.3.3.2 Non-health claim failures will be evaluated individually for applicable action.
6.3.3.3 Literature changes will not be required if recertification performance results are less than a
10% difference lower than the original results for water softener capacity claims, or 3% for all
other published claims.
TH
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6.3.3.1 If test results of the Certified Product(s) fail and are health related, WQA shall withdraw
Certification of the Product(s) and/or the specific performance claim that failed.
6.4
08-02-2013
Termination, Reduction, Suspension or Withdrawal of Certification
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WQA can reduce, suspend, and/or withdrawal certification upon substantiating a nonconformity with any
certification requirement.
6.4.1 Suspension or reduction of Certification can result in any of the following enforcement actions:
CO
PY
6.4.1.1 Enforcement Actions
6.4.1.1.1 Administrative Hearing
RO
LL
ED
6.4.1.1.1.1 WQA may request the Company to participate in an administrative
hearing. WQA and the Company will discuss the nonconformance
during the hearing and develop an action plan to correct the
problem and prevent future problems.
NO
T
A
CO
NT
6.4.1.1.1.2 The meeting date shall be determined by WQA within a time frame
that is acceptable to WQA and the Company. If the Company does
not attend, WQA may withdraw Certification. If the Company does
not agree to the conditions for continued Certification,
Certification shall be withdrawn.
AN
D
IS
6.4.1.1.1.3 If the noncompliance may cause a health or safety concern, WQA
shall place all inventory on hold, order a recall, and/or issue a
public and regulatory notice.
ON
6.4.1.1.2 Placing Product(s) on Hold
LY
6.4.1.1.1.4 The Company shall be responsible for the costs of the hearing.
RE
FE
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NC
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6.4.1.1.2.1 As a result of a Company’s noncompliance regarding Certified
product(s), WQA may place all product(s) inventories on hold until
the non-compliance is resolved.
R
6.4.1.1.2.2 If the manufacturer ships product(s) that has been put on hold and
the non-compliance may cause a health or safety concern, WQA
shall withdraw Certification, order a recall and issue a public and
regulatory notice.
FO
6.4.1.1.3 Product(s) Recall
•
IS
PR
IN
TE
D
6.4.1.1.3.1 As a result of a Company’s non-compliance of a Certified product(s)
that may cause a health or safety concern, WQA shall order a
product(s) recall. The manufacturer shall:
TH
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•
•
•
Provide WQA shipping details of all nonconforming
product(s);
Determine dates of shipments and final locations;
Provide evidence to WQA of the success of the recall; and
Determine how many products were sold to the general
public.
6.4.1.1.3.2 If the product(s) recall cannot be completed in a timely manner, or
product(s) reached the end consumer and those consumers could
not be notified effectively of the recall, WQA shall issue a public
and regulatory notice.
6.4.2 Withdrawal of Certification
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6.4.2.1 WQA shall notify the Company of the decision to withdraw Certification. The Company shall
immediately stop applying the Gold Seal Mark to the product(s) once they have been notified.
CO
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6.4.2.2 If the withdrawal of Certification is due to a non-conformance that may affect public health
and safety, WQA shall issue public notice and regulatory notice of the withdrawal of
Certification and the reason for the action.
LL
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6.4.2.3 WQA may require the Company to dispose of, or surrender to WQA, all Gold Seal Marks,
marking devices, and marked materials, by means acceptable to WQA and within a time frame
acceptable by WQA. The Company shall confirm the disposal to WQA.
RO
6.4.2.4 Any attempt by a Company to offer bribes to WQA may result in withdrawal of Certification.
Other appropriate enforcement action may be taken by WQA.
NT
6.4.3 Complaints, Appeals, and Disputes
A
CO
6.4.3.1 A Company may file a complaint, appeal, or dispute regarding any Gold Seal Program decision
or activity through www.wqa.org.
NO
7.1
T
7 Licensing
Gold Seal
AN
D
IS
7.1.1 WQA does not authorize the use of the Gold Seal to any organization outside of the Water Quality
Association.
LY
7.1.2 All advertising, promotional material, literature, and packaging that is used in conjunction with a WQA
Certified product must adhere to the Water Quality Association Gold Seal Logo Policies.
ON
8 Surveillance
8.1
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Surveillance facility assessment(s) are used to monitor the implementation of the quality system, the proper usage
of the Gold Seal, product literature compliance, and the repeatability in manufacturing.
WQA Facility Assessment Plan (FAP)
8.1.1 Details and specifics of a surveillance assessment are outlined herein
Frequency
R
8.2
TE
D
FO
8.2.1 A minimum of one announced or unannounced Surveillance Assessment shall be conducted for
Companies with Certified products each calendar year.
IN
8.2.1.1 A full assessment may be conducted based on prior audit history.
EN
Surveillance Assessments include:
M
8.3
T
IS
PR
8.2.1.2 All expenses for any cancelled audit are the responsibility of the Company who has signed the
Contract Agreement with WQA. If the Company informs WQA that they need to reschedule a
previously scheduled announced audit (regardless of whether travel arrangements were made
or not), WQA may issue a $500.00 fine.
TH
IS
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8.3.1 Review of the production process;
8.3.2 Partial evaluation of the quality system;
8.3.3 Evaluation of the product information
8.3.3.1 EVD (if applicable)
8.3.3.2 WPL
8.3.3.3 Bill of Materials
8.3.3.4 Product Literature and use of the Gold Seal
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8.3.4 Samples may be selected from inventory by a WQA representative during an audit
8.3.4.1 They shall be provided free of charge, marked in accordance with WQA's sample collection
procedures, and shipped per WQA's request.
For a new Another Name For (ANF)/Private Label Company of an Existing Facility
CO
PY
8.4
(if the original manufacturing facility is in good standing)
Outcome of the Assessment
NT
8.5
RO
LL
ED
8.4.1 Documentation may be requested from the manufacturer of the originally Certified product as well as
the ANF/Private Label product to verify equivalency.
A
CO
8.5.1 The Company will be notified through a Final Assessment Letter on the outcome of the assessment,
which will include any findings as well as a timeframe for reconciliation.
T
8.5.2 Major Findings can include:
NO
8.5.2.1 Improper use of the Gold Seal
IS
8.5.2.2 Changes to Certified Products, components, or materials without notification to WQA
AN
D
8.5.3 Minor Findings can include:
LY
8.5.3.1 Records not being retained for required timeframe
ON
8.5.3.2 Complaint system not being followed or implemented
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
8.5.4 If any findings are not reconciled to the satisfaction of WQA, or the facility is found to have repeated
findings, WQA may conduct an additional assessment and/or increase the frequency of audits at the
facility or proceed with certification withdrawal or suspension.
9 Product Registrations
TH
IS
DO
CU
M
EN
T
IS
PR
IN
TE
D
FO
R
The Water Quality Association can act as a liaison to help manufacturers obtain State product registrations as well as
various other registrations.
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• Documentation Submitted
• Technical/Facility Assessment Review
• PAF Created and Approved by
Company
CO
NT
RO
LL
ED
Company Requests
Certification
CO
PY
SELECTION
REVIEW
• Facility Assessment Conducted
• Lab Performs Product Testing
• Wetted Materials/Parts Review
• Literature Review Conducted
• Report on Outcome of Determination
• Company Addresses NonConformances
RE
FE
RE
NC
E
ON
LY
AN
D
IS
NO
T
A
DETERMINATION
ATTESTATION
• WQA does not authorize the use of
the Gold Seal to any organization
outside of the WQA.
• WQA Certified productsmust adhere
to the Water Quality Association Gold
Seal Usage Policies.
M
EN
T
IS
PR
IN
TE
D
FO
R
• Certification Granted
LICENSING
CU
SURVEILLANCE
TH
IS
DO
• Required Annually
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