Why Using Approved Products for Drinking Water is Crucial for Public Health

Your Water, Your Health – The Unseen Connection

We all expect clean, safe drinking water to flow from our taps. We trust that the water treatment works have done their job, removing impurities and making it safe and wholesome to drink. However, the journey of water doesn't end at the main supply pipe to your property. The materials and fittings used within your building – from the tap in your kitchen to the pipes behind your walls – also play an equally critical, though often unseen role in maintaining water quality. This whole water journey is where the concept of approved products for drinking water becomes paramount. Every component that comes into contact with your drinking water has been tested and approved to ensure that it does not have the potential to alter its safety and quality. It is a fundamental requirement to safeguard our drinking water for public health.

Understanding why using approved products is crucial for anyone involved in the drinking water industry, construction, plumbing or even just as a homeowner, as the health implications of using non-compliant products, fittings or chemicals can be significant and long-lasting.

What "Approved" Truly Means for Your Water

When a product is described as "approved" in the context of drinking water in the UK, it signifies it has undergone rigorous testing and meets stringent standards designed to protect public health. The cornerstone of this approval process is Regulation 31 Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations for England and Wales (and equivalent in Scotland and Northern Ireland). Obtaining approval and being included on a list the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) website under the ‘List of Approved Products’ ensures that a water product, chemical or material complies with the regulation. 

For more detailed information on the regulation and the list of products can be found on the DWI website.

For small surface area products and domestic fittings, another regulation is also important - Regulation 4 of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations. Certification bodies assess products and provide certificates for compliant products that ensure they will not impart an unusual taste, odour, change the water’s appearance or enhance microbial (biofilm) growth. Certification bodies include WRAS, KIWA UK, NSF-I and BSI.

The Approval Process:

Regulation 31 approval, and to be included on the List of Approved Products, is a rigorous process as the product must pass comprehensive scrutiny from eminent toxicologists and endure lengthy in-depth water quality testing. This involves:

Material Composition Analysis and Testing: Ensuring the materials do not leach harmful substances into the water or cause any unusual taste and odour, or enhance microbial growth.

Approved products are independently verified to be of an appropriate quality and standard, and specifically not to contaminate the water they transport. This robust testing process provides a vital layer of assurance that the products and fittings you install won't inadvertently introduce risks into the drinking water supply.

Why Compromise is Not an Option

The dangers of using materials that are not approved products for drinking water are often invisible until it's too late. These risks fall into two primary categories: chemical contamination and microbiological contamination, both of which can have serious public health consequences.

Chemical Contamination: The Hidden Toxins

Many non-compliant metals and plastics, if not specifically designed for contact with potable water, can leach harmful substances into the water supply.

• Lead and Heavy Metals: Historically, lead pipes were common. While modern regulations prohibit lead in new installations, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), ‘there is no safe level of lead’. Unapproved brass fittings or the use of lead solders can still contain higher-than-acceptable levels of lead, which can leach into water, especially when stagnant. Lead exposure, even at low levels, can be particularly harmful to children's neurodevelopment.

• Plasticisers and Phthalates: Some plastics used in unapproved pipes or sealants can leach chemicals, such as phthalates, that are designed to make plastics more flexible. Research on the long-term health effects of these chemicals in drinking water is ongoing, but concerns include potential endocrine disruption.

• Other Products: Unapproved materials and pipes can also release contaminants into the water, leading to altered taste, and in some cases, may have a carcinogenic effect if concentrations are high.

Microbiological Contamination: A Breeding Ground for Bacteria

Beyond chemical leaching, poor design and materials in unapproved fittings and products can create ideal conditions for harmful microorganisms:

• Stagnation Zones and Biofilms: Fittings with intricate designs, rough internal surfaces, or areas where water can become stagnant provide perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. Biofilms (slimy layers of bacteria) can form, sheltering pathogens that could be harmful to health.

• Preventing Backflow: A Critical Barrier: One of the most significant risks is backflow. This occurs when contaminated water (e.g., from a toilet cistern, a garden hose left in a dirty bucket) flows backwards into the clean drinking water supply due to a burst on the system. Approved backflow prevention devices are meticulously designed and tested to prevent this. Using unapproved or faulty devices can compromise the entire water system, potentially contaminating not just one property but the wider public network, creating a major public health crisis.

The Consequences: Beyond Health Risks – Legal and Financial Penalties for Non-Compliance

Ignoring the need for approved products for drinking water doesn't just put health at risk; it carries significant legal and financial repercussions, particularly for professionals and companies. 

Compliance with the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations is a legal requirement in the UK, and regulatory bodies take it very seriously.

Legal Obligations and Penalties:

The responsibility for compliance often falls on the water company from abstraction to the domestic house boundary.

From the boundary to the kitchen tap, the water supply (water fittings) regulation becomes a primary regulation for plumbers, installers, the owner of the premises, or the occupier.

• Fines and Prosecution: Failure to comply can lead to prosecution in a magistrates' court, with potential fines. In severe cases, particularly where public health is endangered, the penalties can be even more substantial.

• Rectification Costs: Beyond fines, there is the immediate and often substantial cost of rectifying the non-compliant installation, which could involve tearing out and replacing entire sections.

Financial Impact and Reputational Damage:

For water companies and professionals, the financial consequences extend beyond direct fines:

• Project Delays and Rework: Discovery of unapproved products on a project can lead to costly delays, requiring materials to be re-ordered and work to be redone.

• Liability and Insurance: In the event of a contamination incident, using non-approved products can lead to significant liability claims, potentially prosecution.

• Reputational Harm: Public health scares or regulatory breaches can severely damage a company's reputation, leading to loss of client trust and long-term financial repercussions.

How to Identify and Verify Approved Products for Drinking Water

Ensuring you are using approved products for drinking water is important. Several steps are essential:

• Checking the List of Approved products on the DWI website is the first area to search for a product. 

• Obtaining the correct version of the Instructions for Use (IFU), as every approved product on the ‘List of Approved Products’ has one.

• Following the company's own procedures, the conditions of approval, and IFU to the letter is mandatory. Any deviation can result in an increased risk of deterioration of water quality and risk to public health.

• For products with a small surface area or used in a domestic environment, obtaining a certificate from a certification body responsible for the Reg 4 Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulation is important. Websites to search include WRAS, KIWA UK, NSF-I and BSI. Do not depend on labelling on packaging.

• What to Look For: Be wary of products with generic "CE" marks only, as these don't specifically attest to compliance with UK Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations in the same way for water quality and prevention of contamination.

The definitive way to verify if a product is approved is to check the official DWI website and Product Directories of the certification bodies.

Best Practices for Professionals and Homeowners:

• Specify Approved Products: Always specify DWI Regulation 31 approved products or Reg 4 Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulation and materials in your project designs and purchase orders.

• Educate Your Workforce: Ensure all are aware of the regulations and the importance of using approved products.

• Buy from Reputable Suppliers: Source your products from trusted suppliers who understand and comply with UK water regulations. They can also supply the correct version of the Instructions for Use for Regulation 31 approved products or Installation Requirements Notes (IRN) for Reg 4 Water Fittings products.

• If in Doubt, check: Never assume a product is compliant. Take a few moments to check or escalate to your local water company.

Advance Your Knowledge and Ensure Compliance

The best way to protect yourself, your customers, and public health is through expert training. Staying up to date is essential — especially if you are a professional who manages materials, chemicals, and products that come into contact with drinking water.

Our Products for Drinking Water Training Course is a recently launched in-person program on behalf of EUSR designed to give you the in-depth knowledge and confidence you need to understand and apply these regulations effectively.

To learn more, please visit our website or contact us directly.