What regulations cover water systems and components?
All components/products installed on water systems in the UK must comply with UK water regulations (specifically the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 for England and Wales, the Water Bylaws 2000, the Water Supply (Water Fittings) (Scotland) Byelaws 2014 and the Water Supply (Water Fittings Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009)) and in particular Regulation 4 which lays out the specific requirements for the components which make up a water system. If you install components/products on the system that are not compliant then you are causing an offence and could be prosecuted.
It’s not an offence to manufacture non-compliant components, the duty lies with the installer to ensure that every product component connected to water supply or management will meet the relevant regulations.
Therefore, it’s in the interest of all professional manufacturers of water system components, to ensure that all products are certified to meet the requirements laid out within Regulation 4 of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations.
What tests must a product pass to be certified as meeting water regulation 4?
A product must be mechanically tested to conform to a specification approved by the regulator, an appropriate harmonised standard or conform to an appropriate British Standard, this is normally achieved by testing against the Regulators specification test codes sheets or relevant BS/EN standard.
All the non-metallic materials in contact with drinking water within components/products must also meet the requirements of BS 6920 ‘Suitability of non-metallic materials and products for use in contact with water intended for human consumption. This includes a number of tests to assess the suitability of non-metallic materials to ensure they do not impart odour or flavour, cause a change in appearance (colour or turbidity), promote microbial growth, or leach substances (including toxic metals) harmful to human health.
How Kiwa UK water regulation 4 approval (KUKreg4) helps you demonstrate compliance?
KIWA is an international certification, inspection, testing, and training company and Kiwa Watertec specialise in testing water products and components to be certified for water regulation compliance across the world.
The Kiwa UK regulation 4 Approval (KUKreg4) is a robust method for demonstrating compliance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.
There are many benefits to KUKreg4 over alternative approval schemes these benefits are accessible online
KIWA certified products are listed under the Kiwa UK Regulation 4 approved product list which is accessible online
A common myth is that WRAS is a mandatory requirement?
WRAS is historically stated in project specifications, this is because in the past WRAS approval was the most common way to demonstrate compliance against water regulations, but WRAS is a voluntary scheme, the minimum legal requirement is for components/products to be compliant with water regulation 4 and this is exactly what KUKreg4 provides you with. KUKreg4 is widely accepted by water authorities, and since the terminology of ‘Regulation 4 compliance’ is more widely used and the decision making of WRAS approval no longer involves the water authorities KUKreg4 has much more visibility and acceptance in the industry.
The KIWA KUKreg4 approval mark demonstrates full compliance with the UK Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, exactly like WRAS does, so can be universally accepted as equal to WRAS approval.