Gate valves for potable water meet NSF/ANSI 61 (National Sanitation Foundation/American National Standards Institute) requirements for handling drinking water. They use a handwheel to raise and lower a gate within the valve body to control media flow. Brass gate valves for potable water are made of a corrosion-resistant copper and tin alloy that is less prone to cracking than plastic valves. Bronze gate valves for potable water are corrosion-resistant and suited for high-temperature applications. PVC gate valves for potable water (polyvinyl chloride) are rigid, corrosion-resistant, and suitable for acids and alkalis.