The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations for Developers

Severn Trent Water prides itself on supplying the highest quality water to our customers and we are committed to maintain these standards which are rigorously monitored by our Regulators.

We must also ensure that others follow the rules on connecting, using and maintaining pipes and water fittings inside homes and businesses.

These rules are called the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (the Regulations) and are designed to stop the waste, misuse, undue consumption, erroneous measurement and more importantly contamination of the drinking water supply.

It is a legal requirement for us to enforce the Regulations and to ensure that we adopt a consistent approach on enforcing these Regulations within our area of supply.

Enforcement

We have a legal obligation to enforce the Regulations which are carried out by a team of qualified Water Fittings Regulations Technicians.  Our inspection activities are undertaken on a risk based approach taking into account the following.  This list is not exhaustive:

We will also undertake reactive inspections at premises where there is a risk posed to public health.

Regulation 5 - Notification

From the 1st July 1999 the Government introduced the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, which superseded the previous Water Supplier Byelaws for England and Wales.

For many years the Water Supply Byelaws had been enforced by the local water undertaker to protect the public water supply from waste, misuse, undue consumption and contamination. As statutory instruments, the Regulations replaced the local byelaws with national legislation.

The implementation of the Regulations has increased the profile of the subject, making the Secretary of State for the Environment accountable.

Regulation 5 refers to the notification of intended work.  Regulation 5 requires any person proposing to install new water systems (Non-domestic premises and/or to alter or extend a plumbing system) in connection with any of the operations listed in the Regulations, the installer must give prior notice of the planned work to the local water undertaker.  

No work shall begin without the Water Supplier’s consent which shall not be withheld unreasonably. A number of plumbers/contractors within the Severn Trent Area of supply have already been fined for failing to give notice and for starting work without consent.