Court Rules On Ipex Defect Case

A Nevada court has awarded $475,000 to 40 home owners in Dove Canyon, located in Northern Las Vegas. This is the most recent ruling in a series of defect class action law suits.

The suit is based on the failure of Kitec Ipex fittings. According to court papers, Kitech fittings fail due to dezincification, or the removal of zinc from brass fittings due to prolonged contact with water. The zinc from the brass is turned into salt, which accumulates in the pipes and eventually causes blockage.

Kitech has already paid $90 million to cover claims made against them in Nevada.

Sharp Plumbing, also based in Northern Las Vegas, was also named in the suit. However, Sharp filed for chapter 11. Months prior to the current court case Sharp was asked to pay $6.9 million to cover all but about 10,000 of the 16,000 homes they plumbed in the area with Kitech Ipex.

Do you think it's fair to hold independent contractors responsible for the defects of their materials?