The Safe Drinking Water Act — Effective January 2014

Under the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act amending the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), any brass or bronze fitting in contact with potable water must contain no more than 0.25% lead by weighted average across all wetted surfaces. This applies to corporation stops, curb stops, meter valves, service saddles, fittings, and any other component of the water service path from the utility's main to the customer's point of use.

Compliance is demonstrated through third-party certification. Two standards govern the brass service category:

• NSF/ANSI 61 — Drinking Water System Components — Health Effects. Verifies that contaminants from the fitting do not exceed safe limits in delivered water.
• NSF/ANSI 372 — Lead-Free Drinking Water Components. Specifically certifies compliance with the 0.25% weighted-average lead limit.
• AWWA C800 — Underground Service Line Valves and Fittings. The waterworks industry standard for design, performance, and materials of brass service components.

Pre-2014 brass fittings (which could legally contain up to 8% lead) are not permitted in new potable water installations. Replacement of legacy services with no-lead brass is required as part of any service repair or rehabilitation in most jurisdictions.

Lead-Free Brass Alloy Composition

The chemistry of compliant lead-free brass typically substitutes bismuth and silicon for lead while maintaining the machinability and corrosion resistance that made brass the historical choice for service fittings. Typical alloy composition for AWWA C800 compliant brass:

Curb Stop Function

Located between the corporation stop (at the main) and the building entry, the curb stop is the primary service-level shut-off valve. It is typically buried in the curb line within the utility's right-of-way, accessible only by the utility through the service box and curb stop key. The valve is designed for repeated open-close cycling over a multi-decade service life with minimal maintenance.

Curb stops are predominantly ball-style with T-handle operating mechanisms. End connections most commonly are flared, compression, or FNPT (female national pipe thread). Sizing matches the service tubing: 5/8 in through 2 in covers virtually all residential and commercial applications.

Service Boxes / Curb Boxes

The service box (also called the curb box) sits on the ground surface above the buried curb stop, providing operator access. Two mounting styles dominate:

Arch-Type Service Box

• Cast-iron arch straddles the curb stop without making direct contact
• Independent of curb stop position — ground movement does not transfer load to the valve
• Adjustable for bury depth and final grade elevation
• Preferred where ground settlement or movement is anticipated

Minneapolis-Type Service Box

• Threads directly onto the curb stop body
• Adjustable height for varying bury depths and finish grades
• Simpler installation — service box and curb stop become a single unit
• Common in stable-soil residential applications

Service box lids are typically marked "WATER" and may include pentagon-pattern, two-hole, or other security configurations. The stationary rod inside the box connects to the curb stop below and terminates at a standard curb stop key fitting at the surface, allowing the operator to engage and turn the valve without exposing the actual valve assembly. Rod lengths vary to accommodate different bury depths and to absorb minor ground movement.

Service box with operating stem and standard curb stop key fitting

No-Lead Brass Service Fittings

The full family of brass service fittings used to assemble, branch, and adapt the service line between the corporation stop and the building entry. All sized to copper tube size (CTS) standards.

Brass service fittings are manufactured in straight or angle patterns and sized to CTS (Copper Tube Size) dimensions matching standard Type K copper tubing. Compression and pack-joint variants are used with both copper and plastic service tubing — with the critical requirement that plastic tubing requires a stainless steel insert (pipe stiffener) at every fitting to prevent the tubing from crimping or fracturing under the fitting's compression force.

When transitioning between dissimilar materials (copper to iron pipe, copper to PEX, etc.), brass adapters are used. The full fitting catalog includes:

Compression

Pack Joint

Copper Flare

Insta-Tite

Straight Coupling

Threaded Coupling

Service Tee

U-Branch

Y-Branch

Bushing

No-Lead Brass Service Saddles

Service saddles connect service lines to water mains. Manufactured in bronze or ductile iron with stainless steel or alloy bands, designed to fit any common water main material. An O-ring seal in a tight groove prevents creep and blowout under pressure.

Bronze Double Strap

Ductile Iron Saddle

OD-Controlled Bronze (PVC)

Bronze Single SS Strap

Saddle Selection by Pipe Material

• Bronze double-strap saddles — the workhorse for ductile iron and cast iron mains. Bronze body resists corrosion in buried service; stainless straps clamp around the pipe OD.
• Ductile iron saddles — for larger mains where higher strap clamping force is needed. Available with stainless steel or alloy straps depending on soil chemistry.
• OD-controlled bronze saddles for PVC pipe — matched to C900 PVC outside diameter dimensions. The OD-controlled design accommodates PVC's tighter dimensional tolerance and avoids over-compression of the pipe wall.
• Bronze single-strap saddles — lighter-duty applications, smaller diameter mains, or where the lower strap count is permitted by local specification.

Meter Valves & Meter Yokes

The fittings that hold the water meter in place and isolate it for maintenance or replacement.

Meter Valves

Lock-wing brass valves installed at the inlet and/or outlet of the water meter. The lock-wing design allows the meter to be removed for testing, replacement, or repair without depressurizing the upstream service.

Available in angle (90-degree) or straight configurations. Optional integrated check valves prevent reverse flow and contamination from the customer side back into the supply.

Meter Valve Types

• Angle ball — right-angle isolation, standard residential
• Straight ball — inline isolation
• Angle check — right-angle with integrated backflow prevention
• Inline check — straight with integrated backflow prevention

Standard Meter Valve Sizes

• 5/8 in residential
• 5/8 in x 3/4 in residential
• 3/4 in light commercial
• 1 in through 2 in commercial

Meter Yokes & Meter Setters

The meter yoke provides structural support and dimensional reference for water meter installation. The yoke holds the inlet and outlet pipes at the correct spacing for the meter, regardless of meter manufacturer. Standard yokes are sized for 5/8 in, 5/8 in x 3/4 in, 3/4 in, and 1 in residential and light commercial water meters.

The yoke also provides electrical grounding for the water meter, which is a safety requirement to prevent electrical fault current from passing through the meter and its plumbing connections. This grounding path must be maintained when meters are removed for service — jumper cables or equivalent bonding is required during meter removal.

Other components in the meter chain include water meter boxes (above-grade or below-grade enclosures), meter fittings (couplings, flanges, gaskets), and the meters themselves — analog mechanical, digital, or AMR (automatic meter reading) with remote connectivity for utility billing.

Where Watermain Supply Fits In

A.Y. McDonald Authorized

Full authorized distribution of the A.Y. McDonald no-lead brass service line. Corporation stops, curb stops, meter setters, service saddles, and the complete fitting catalog — certified NSF/ANSI 61 and 372 compliant.

Houston-Based Stock

Common sizes and configurations in stock in Houston for same-day pickup or shipment. Less common sizes available factory-direct on short lead times.

Engineering-Led Specification

Inlet thread compatibility, end-connection selection, saddle sizing for pipe OD, meter setter configuration — we help you spec the right product for the actual installation, not just the nominal sizes.

SDWA Compliance Verified

We carry only post-2014 NSF/ANSI 61 and 372 certified brass for potable water service. Documentation and compliance certificates available with every order.

Account Terms Available

Net-30 terms for qualified contractor and municipal accounts. PO processing and credit application handled in-house.

Service & Repair Support

Replacement parts for in-service brass fittings, retrofit corp stops, repair clamps with brass-tap outlets, and full meter setter rebuilds. We support installed systems, not just new construction.

Specifying Brass Service for Your Project?

Send us the main pipe material and OD, service tubing material and size, meter size, and end-connection preference. We'll respond with a complete bill of materials, in-stock confirmation, and lead time.

281.664.8000 Email sales@watermainsupply.com Request a Quote

A.Y. McDonald is a trademark of A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co. NSF/ANSI 61, NSF/ANSI 372, AWWA C800, and Safe Drinking Water Act references are made under fair use for product specification purposes. Watermain Supply (a DBA of E4 Industrial LLC) is a Houston, TX-based authorized industrial distributor.