Advisory Report

December 1999

PB Plumbing Settlement Deadline 
Consumers who do not wish to participate in the polybutylene (PB) plumbing legal settlement should contact the Consumer Plumbing Recovery Center (CPRC) by December 31, 1999. The settlement will provide relief for homeowners who have had leaks in their PB plumbing system.

If you have PB plumbing, you may be entitled to free replacement of your plumbing if it has leaked in the past, or leaks in the future. The $950 million Cox vs. Shell Oil Company settlement pertains only to homeowners who have purchased their homes after August 21, 1995, and have qualifying leaks in their PB plumbing system, if installed after January 1, 1978. The December 31 deadline pertains only to consumers who wish to exclude themselves from participating in any of the benefits of the settlement or be bound by it.

PB plumbing systems were installed in millions of U.S. homes since the late 1970s. PB plumbing can be most easily identified by its gray, plastic, flexible pipes. The settlement applies to owners of mobile homes, single-family dwellings, multi-unit structures and other properties.

Consumers can learn more about the legal notice by contacting the CPRC at (800) 392-7591 or by visiting their Web site at www.pbpipe.com.