Water regulations
The rules and regulations around water.
Water rules and regulations
Helping you understand the water rules and regulations around water.
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 are statutory requirements for the design, installation, composition and maintenance of water fixtures and fittings.
“Water fittings” means any item that is connected to your water supply, such as taps, valves, cisterns and solder, and applied from the point where water enters the property’s underground service pipe.
The Water Regulations were created under the Water Industry Act 1991 to ensure the safety of the water supply.
The five main purposes of the Water Regulations are to protect against:
- contamination
- waste
- misuse
- undue consumption
- erroneous measurement.
Everyone must comply with the Water Regulations and water companies have an obligation to enforce them.
By law, owners and occupiers, and anyone who instals or maintains plumbing systems and water fittings, must ensure that their plumbing fittings have been designed, installed and maintained correctly to prevent drinking water being contaminated or wasted. For new buildings the same is true for architects, building developers and plumbers, who have to follow the Water Regulations on behalf of future owners or occupiers.
We need to be told in advance of certain plumbing work that you plan to undertake. We will review the information you provide and give consent for the work to begin or advise you of any special requirements that you need to be aware of.
We cannot ‘unreasonably’ withhold consent for your work. If you have not received a reply from us within 10 working days of writing to us, consent is ‘deemed’ to have been given and you can proceed with the work. For further information, please click on the links under “Useful documents” below.
Notification of temporary water Supplies
Event organisers proposing to connect a temporary water supply to an existing connection must complete and submit this form at least ten working days before the commencement of any work.
Notification of proposed Plumbing works
This form must be completed and submitted to Bristol Water at least ten working days before the commencement of any notifiable works.
Reduce Pressure Zone (RPZ) Valve rules
Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) Valves are devices that prevent backflow. Those proposing to install, relocate or replace RPZ valves will find Bristol Waters Notification form here, Competent RPZ valve testers will find commission and compliance test report forms here.
Temporary events: Water safety plan - key information
This document summaries’ the information to be included in a Water Safety Plan which should be submitted to Bristol Water prior to the event taking place, as part of the notification process.
Water Regs UK notification
Guidance to Regulation 5 and the requirement to notify Bristol Water of proposed plumbing works can be found here.
Water Regs UK
You will find information on the UK water fittings regulations here including guidance and publications.
Temporary Events Booklet
The information provided in this booklet will help temporary event organisers and installers to understand their legal obligations under the water fittings regulations.
Find a WaterSafe approved Plumbing business
Competent plumbers, water supply pipe installers and other water services specialists can be found here.
Code of practice enforcement policy
This code of practice tells you how Bristol Water will go about duties of enforcement.
Fire Sprinkler Guidance
The purpose of this guide is to provide an approved set of design specifications for new connections and installations associated with fire sprinkler systems.