Water Fittings Approved by the UK Water Industry

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The Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) assesses water fittings products to ensure that they do not waste, misuse, unduly consume or contaminate the water supply, in order to show compliance with Regulation 4 of the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. 

The full procedure to gain WRAS approval can be found by clicking here

A simple guide to approval is given after the general points (below).

1.      General: To gain approval for a water fitting,  WRAS will check the following details which should be included in the application form:

1.1    Non-metallic materials in contact with the water which is required to be wholesome (paint, grease, ‘O’ rings, seals, gaskets etc.) must comply with BS 6920 Parts 1 – 3. 

You must provide either

a current WRAS approval number for the non-metallic material or a component* made from it or

a report of testing, undertaken no more than two years previously, to BS 6920 from one of the approved test laboratories.  (see below for details).

(*See ‘Guidance to Manufacturers, Suppliers and Test Laboratories on the Application Requirements for WRAS Product Approval’ for details of approval, including for components.)

1.2    Metal Components in contact with water which is required to be wholesome. The grade or standard of a metal or alloy should be declared. Where this is not available, please declare the composition of the material.

1.3     Prohibited materials:

Lead: Lead-based solders are illegal for use in fittings which convey water which is required to be wholesome and will not be accepted.

PVC containing lead stabilisers: This is not permitted for use in fittings where it will be in contact with water which is required to be wholesome.  It may be accepted for fittings where the water is not required to be wholesome.

Bitumen: Bitumen derived from coal tar has been prohibited for use in WRAS Approved fittings for many years. 

Asphaltic- or petroleum-derived bituminous materials: These will not be accepted for use in pipes or water retaining structures (e.g. cisterns) with large surface areas in contact with water which is required to be wholesome.  Their use for other applications with a very small surface area in contact with water for domestic purposes may be accepted and the Scheme should be consulted in advance of applications.

2       Product Testing – In addition to assessing non-metallic materials, where applicable, in accordance with BS6920, products will be assessed by mechanical tests as stipulated in the Regulators Specification. Click here for details of the Regulators’ Specification for water fittings. 

Material Testing Laboratories

The Scheme requires non-metallic materials to be tested by laboratories which have accredited for testing to BS6920 using the procedures of ISO17025.  In addition, WRAS requires materials testing laboratories to participate in regular comparisons of assessment of materials in ‘round-robin’ tests.  WRAS accepts test reports for materials from the following laboratories which participate in this comparison:

Contact details are:

Mechanical Testing

Mechanical testing can be carried out in any suitably-accredited* laboratory.  Laboratories have to be accredited for the specific tests they carry out for WRAS Approval.  WRAS regularly receives test reports from two laboratories - The Kiwa Group and WRc-NSF Ltd.  Enquirers seeking testing should check with their chosen laboratory that it has accreditation for the appropriate tests required for their product, because the scope of the accreditation of these two laboratories differs.

Contact details are:

*Accreditation of mechanical test laboratories:

Mechanical test laboratories need to show accreditation to the specific performance tests which WRAS Approval will rely upon i.e. the Regulators’ Specification Test Code Sheets.

Accreditation in accordance with ISO 17025 is required for the specific tests.  Accreditation should be by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), or by an equivalent overseas body which is subject to the multilateral agreement accepted by the European co-operation for Accreditation (EA), the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), or the International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (ILAC). 

In the case of manufacturers’ testing of WCs where results are to be used for self-certification and WRAS Approval, accreditation can be carried out directly by the Scheme.

For information, the application form for WRAS approval (form F2) can found by clicking here 

Simple steps to WRAS Approval

The following is a simplified version of the procedure to gain WRAS approval.

1. Read details of the Guidance for WRAS Approval (click here).

2. Contact a suitably-accredited test laboratory for further advice on testing, costs etc.

3. Completed an application form and forward it to the test laboratory administration.

4. Administration staff identify if all the details are correct (materials etc) and sufficient to proceed with the testing.

5. Administration staff request samples to be sent to the test laboratory.

6. Testing is undertaken and the report completed.

7. The completed WRAS Approval application with test report and sample of the product is submitted to WRAS, with the WRAS Approval fee.

8. The WRAS Test and Assessment Group on behalf of the UK Water Suppliers assesses the application and inspects the product sample (meeting every 6 to 8 weeks).

9. If successful, an Approval letter and certificate is sent to the applicant within two weeks of the meeting.

10. The product is listed in the on-line Water Fittings and Materials Directory on the WRAS website for 5 years.

11. A reminder about the need for audit of an existing Approved product will be sent to the approval-holder approximately twelve months before expiry of the approval.

12. If you require further information about the Approval process, please contact the WRAS Approvals staff by email – info@wras.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 1495 248454.