The Standards Council of Canada has announced the publication of the first joint Canada-U.S. standard for balloon-type ball backwater valves.

After several years of collaboration, ULC Standards, an SCC-accredited Standards Development Organization together with Underwriters' Laboratories Inc., an SDO accredited by both SCC and the American National Standards Institute, have developed ANSI/CAN/UL/ULC 1201:2016 Sensor Operated Backwater Prevention Systems. The joint national standard is the first of its kind in the plumbing and heating sector.  It will provide significant savings in cost and time in both Canadian and U.S. marketplaces.

“SCC is pleased to work with the North American plumbing industry to help provide standardization solutions that benefit Canadian industry and consumers,” said SCC CEO John Walter. “Our ultimate goal is 'one standard, one test, accepted everywhere’ and joint Canada-U.S. standards like this are essential to meeting this goal and improving the lives of Canadians.”

This standard used a single joint development process and fulfilled all requirements for national standards in both countries.  It was developed and approved by the joint UL/ULC Technical Committee on Prevention of Storm and Sanitary Backflow, comprised of Canadian and American stakeholders.

A panel of Canada-U.S. industry representatives, including members of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating, and several U.S. organizations, determined that standards development for sensor-operated backwater prevention systems would benefit the greatest number of Canadian and American stakeholders.

“This standard is based on the needs from both the Canadian and American industry and will benefit not only the industry but also consumers. This achievement also supports North American alignment of the standards development process, paving the way for future collaboration.  Making the standards development process easier and more cost effective will benefit all stakeholders,” said Ralph Suppa, president and general manager of CIPH.

“Both ULC Standards and Underwriters' Laboratories Inc. are pleased to work with our industry partners and SCC in developing a joint Canada-U.S. standard meeting the needs of stakeholders on both sides of the border,” said John Thompson, Director, North American Standards, Underwriters' Laboratories Inc., “Using a single standards development process that satisfies SCC and ANSI requirements results in a more efficient process for harmonization, enabling innovation and supporting the goal of one standard and one test.”

The standard can be viewed here.