The first question for many will be: what are the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 and why are they important?

They are quite simply a set of regulations that set out the installation requirements for plumbing, in the same way Building Regulations set out the requirements for building. They were published by the government, and came into force on 1 July 1999 to replace the previous Water Supply Byelaws.

There are many regulations that govern our day-to-day lives and within the water industry two of the most important are the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations and the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations. The former ensures that the water entering the water supply system is pure and wholesome. Information on this can be found in the water quality area of the Environment section.

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations are national requirements for the design, installation and maintenance of plumbing systems, water fittings and water-using appliances. Their purpose is to prevent inefficient use of water, waste, misuse, undue consumption or erroneous measurement of it and, most importantly, to prevent contamination of drinking water.

This section is designed to pass on information which we hope you find useful. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. Getting it wrong could be an expensive mistake and, potentially, could compromise the quality of the water we have supplied. Our purpose is to ensure you get it right, it is also to police those that do not. It is worth remembering that it is a criminal offence to breach the Regulations and offenders may face prosecution.

Thank you

Bob Chambers
Regulations Manager