WRAS and the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 are the UK law that protects the public water supply from contamination and waste. WRAS — the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme — is the industry body that interprets those regulations and runs the well-known "WRAS approved" product and contractor schemes. Two things, often confused, easy to keep straight: the regs are the law, WRAS is the scheme.

If you've ever wondered why your plumber waves a fitting at you and says "this one's WRAS", or what you're actually meant to notify your water company about, this is the guide. For the bigger picture of where these rules sit alongside Building Regs, read the UK water regulations pillar guide first.

The law: SI 1999/1148

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 are statutory instrument SI 1999/1148, made under sections 73 and 74 of the Water Industry Act 1991. They apply in England and Wales. The equivalent in Scotland is the Water Byelaws 2014; in Northern Ireland the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations (NI) 2009. The text is short. The substance is in:

• Regulation 3 — restriction on installation: nothing can be installed that causes waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination, or that erroneously measures water use.
• Regulation 4 — requirements for water fittings: every fitting must be of an appropriate quality and standard, and suitable for the circumstances in which it's used.
• Regulation 5 — notification: certain installations must be notified to the water undertaker before work starts.
• Schedule 1 — the list of notifiable works.
• Schedule 2 — detailed requirements (materials, design and construction).

What WRAS actually does

WRAS is an advisory scheme owned by the UK water companies. It exists because the Regulations talk about fittings being "of an appropriate quality and standard" but don't themselves list every approved product. WRAS bridges that gap with three main jobs:

• Approved Product Scheme — manufacturers submit fittings for testing against the Schedule 2 requirements. If they pass, they're listed in the WRAS directory and may use the WRAS Approved Product logo.
• Approved Contractor Scheme — qualified plumbers can register as WRAS Approved Contractors; the scheme acts as a recognised mark of competence on the regulations.
• Guidance and interpretation — WRAS publishes the Water Regulations Guide and information sheets that plumbers and water inspectors use day to day.

What "WRAS approved" really means

When a fitting is described as WRAS approved, it has been tested by an approved laboratory against:

• Mechanical and hydraulic performance — it does its job at the working pressures and temperatures of UK mains.
• Non-metallic materials test (BS 6920) — materials in contact with water don't taint it, support microbial growth or leach chemicals.
• Where appropriate, dezincification, lead content and other material checks.

WRAS isn't the only acceptable route. Equivalent certification — BSI Kitemark, KIWA UK, NSF, the Regulator's Specification (RegSpec) — is also accepted by water companies. What is not acceptable is a fitting with no certification at all, particularly imported plumbing parts bought off online marketplaces. If a leak from a non-compliant fitting taints a neighbour's supply, the bill stops with whoever installed it.

Notifiable works (Schedule 1)

For most everyday jobs you don't need to tell the water company anything. For these, you do — in advance, in writing, with a description of the work:

The water company must reply within 10 working days. They can attach conditions (typical example: requiring an RPZ on a higher-risk install) and you cannot lawfully begin work until those are agreed.

What goes wrong on real jobs

1. 1

   Uncertified fittings off online marketplaces

   Cheap valves and flexi tails with no WRAS or equivalent mark. They may leach metals or fail at UK mains pressure. Strip them out and replace.

2. 2

   Backflow protection skipped on bidets and outside taps

   An ascending-spray bidet without proper category-5 protection, or an outside tap without a double check valve, is the classic regs fail in a domestic property.

3. 3

   Hose union taps left unprotected

   A garden hose left in a water butt or chemical sprayer with no air gap or device on the tap is a textbook contamination route.

4. 4

   DIY unvented cylinder swap

   G3 is Building Regs, not water regs — but the same plumber should be doing both. A swap without notification is unlawful and your home insurer may decline cover.

Frequently Asked Questions

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