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What are the Water Fittings Regulations?
The
Water Fittings Regulations (or Byelaws 2000 in
Scotland)
are national requirements for the design,
installation
and maintenance of plumbing systems, water
fittings
and water-using appliances. Their purpose is to
prevent
misuse, waste, undue consumption or erroneous
measurement
of water and, most importantly, to prevent
contamination
of drinking water.
They
replace the former Water Supply Byelaws which each
water
supplier has administered for similar purposes for
many
years.
Where do they apply?
Since
1 July 1999 in England and Wales, and 4 April 2000
in
Scotland, all plumbing systems, water fittings and
equipment
supplied, or to be supplied, with water from
the
public supply come under these regulations. This
applies
to systems in all types of premises. The
regulations
apply from the point where water enters the
property’s
underground service pipe. Premises without
a
public water supply connection are not governed by
these
regulations.
Who has to comply with the Regulations?
Owners
and occupiers of premises and anyone who
installs
plumbing systems or water fittings have the legal
duty
to ensure that the systems satisfy the regulations.
Architects,
building developers and plumbers have to
follow
the regulations on behalf of future owners or
occupiers.
Advanced notice must be given of most
proposed
installations to obtain consent for the work
from
your water supplier. It is a criminal offence to breach the Regulations
and
offenders
may face prosecution.
Plumbing system design and installation
Plumbing
systems must be designed, installed and
maintained
to meet the requirements of the Regulations
and
their Schedules. This is to protect water quality, to
ensure
safety, ease of access for maintenance, detection
of
leakage, protection against damage or freezing etc. If
you
are doing your own installation, ensure you know
what
requirements you must meet. If you are employing
someone
else, consider using an Approved Plumber
who
will certify compliance of the new installation.
Prevention of contamination by backflow
Where
water or water-using equipment is used with fluids
or
materials which could contaminate it, there must be
adequate
protection to stop backflow of potentially
contaminated
water into other parts of the system,
especially
drinking water outlets. The Regulations define
Fluid
Risk Categories according to the contaminants
which
are present and specify the appropriate type
of
prevention devices which must be fitted to guard
against
backflow.
Choice of materials and fittings
Plumbing
materials and fittings must meet the standards
given
in the Regulations. At present they must either
conform
to an appropriate British Standard or some other
European
Economic Agreement state specification which
provides
an equivalent level of protection and
performance
or conform to a specification approved by
the
Regulators.
The
Water Fittings and Materials Directory, published by
the
Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS), gives up-to-
date
details of a wide range of items which meet the
Regulators
Specification. Whilst it is not illegal to sell
unsuitable
fittings and appliances, to install one would be
illegal,
so check suitability before purchase.
Advanced
Notification
In
most cases, before work starts on any proposed
installation,
the installer, owner or occupier must obtain
the
water supplier’s consent by giving notification of the
details
of the proposed work.
Proposed
work which must be notified is summarised in
the
following list.
The
installation of a water fitting in connection with:
1.
The erection of a building or other structure,
not
being a pond or swimming pool
2.
The extension or alteration of a water system on
any
premises other than a house (#)
3.
A material change of use of any premises
The
installation of:
4(a)
a bath having a capacity, as measured to the centre
line
of the overflow, of more than 230 litres. (*)
4(b)
a bidet with an ascending spray or flexible hose. (#)
4(c)
A shower unit of a type specified by the Regulator
(but
none is currently specified May 2001).(*)
4(d)
a pump or booster drawing more than 12 litres
per
minute, connected directly or indirectly to a
supply
pipe.
4(e)
a unit which incorporates reverse osmosis.
4(f)
a water treatment unit which produces a wastewater
discharge
or which requires the use of water for
regeneration
or cleaning.
4(g)
a reduced pressure zone (RPZ) valve assembly or
other
mechanical device for protection against a
fluid
which is in Fluid Category 4 or 5.
4(h)
a garden watering system except one designed to be
operated
by hand.(*)
4(i)
any water system laid outside a building either
less
than 750 mm or more than 1350 mm below
ground
level.
5.
The construction of a pond or swimming pool over
10,000
litres capacity, designed to be replenished
automatically
with water supplied by a public
water
supplier.(*)
Details to be notified
For
installations to be supplied with water from the public
water
supply, the following information must be sent to
your
local water supplier:
•
The name and address
of the person giving notice
and,
if different, the name and address of the person
to
whom the consent should be sent.
•
A description of the
proposed work or any significant
change
of use of premises.
•
The location of the
premises and their use or
intended
use.
•
Except for items
marked (*) in the list above, a plan
of
those parts of the premises which relate to the
proposed
work and a diagram showing the pipework
and
fittings to be installed.
•
The plumbing
contractor’s name and address,
if
an Approved Plumber is to do the work.
The
notice must be sent to the appropriate address of the local water supplier
where the work is to be carried out. To find out where to send
notifications to in your area click here.
'Type approval' for building developers
Housing
developers who build dwellings containing the
same
design of plumbing layout and terminal fittings can
submit
plans for ‘type approval’. Once approved,
notifications
of housing developments based upon these
approved
plans can then be made without having to
supply
further copies of plumbing plans with every
application.
Any changes in the design or the terminal
fittings
to be used must be notified.
Granting consent
There
is no charge by your water supplier for dealing with
notifications
or granting consent. Work on installations
must
not start until consent has been given. Consent will
not
be withheld unreasonably, and may be granted
subject
to conditions, which must be followed. If within
ten
working days of receipt of a valid notification by the
water
supplier, consent is neither granted with conditions
nor
refused, it is deemed to have been granted. This does
not
alter the obligation upon the installer and owner or
occupier
to see that the Regulations are fully met.
Approved Plumbers
An
Approved Plumber will certify that his installation
work
satisfies the Regulations. In the event of breaches of
the
Regulations in connection with the certified work, the
owner
or occupier can use the certificate as a legal
defence
against any resulting prosecution. An Approved
Plumber,
when installing items marked (#) in the list
above,
does not have to receive prior consent beforestarting work, but on
completion in addition to supplying
a
certificate to the person who asked for the work to be
done,
a copy of the compliance certificate must also be
sent
to the water supplier.
The
UK water suppliers either operate their own Approved
Plumbers
Scheme or support the national Water Industry
Approved
Plumbers Scheme (WIAPS), whose members
have
demonstrated their experience of plumbing work
and
knowledge of the Regulations and have liability
insurance
cover. Contact your water supplier for a list of
Approved
Plumbers who are available for work or look
on
the WRAS website for details. The Institute of
Plumbing
and the Scottish and Northern Ireland
Plumbing
Employers Federation (SNIPEF) also list
Approved
Plumbers (see below for contact details).
Where can I get the Regulations
and further advice?
The
Regulations and their Schedules (SI 1999 No. 1148
and
No. 1506) are available from HMSO and the Internet:
(www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm).
The
Government also has published a Guidance
Document
relating to the Schedules
(www.defra.gov.uk/environment/wsregs99/waterfit/index.htm).
The
text of all these documents is included with detailed
Water
Industry guidance and interpretation in the ‘Water
Regulations
Guide’, available from the Water Regulations
Advisory
Scheme.
Useful contacts:
The
Water Regulations
Advisory
Scheme (WRAS):
Fern
Close, Pen-y-Fan Industrial Estate,
Oakdale,
Gwent, NP11 3EH.
Tel:
01495 248454 Fax: 01495 249234
Water
Industry Approved Plumbers Scheme (WIAPS):
Tel:
as
for WRAS above. Find a Water
Industry Approved Plumber
The
Institute of Plumbing:
64
Station Lane, Hornchurch, RM12 6NB.
Tel:
01708 472791 Website: www.plumbers.org.uk
SNIPEF:
2
Walker Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7LB.
Tel:
0131 225 2255 Website: www.snipef.org
The information contained on this page is available in a
leaflet available from WRAS or your local water supplier. The leaflet is also available
in electronic format. To download a full colour, double sided, printable copy of
the leaflet in Adobe Acrobat pdf format click
here
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