Water Regulations — every plumbing installation in the UK.
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 (Scottish Byelaws 2014) govern fittings, materials and installation practices on every cold water plumbing system supplied by mains. Notification to your water company is required for many installations. WRAS-approved products + WaterSafe-registered plumbers are the practical compliance route.
Do I need to notify my water company before plumbing work?
Yes — for many installations, including bidet fitting, irrigation, water-treatment unit fitting, water-recycling system, garden tap on a non-isolated supply, and any installation where contamination risk exists. The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 set this duty on the building owner. Using a WaterSafe-registered plumber installing WRAS-approved fittings is the simplest compliance route — many water companies waive notification when both apply.
Active UK WaterSafe-registered plumbers across the 4 main schemes.
Most water companies require notification at least 5 working days before work starts.
Section 73 penalty for breach of Water Fittings Regulations.
WRAS / Water Regs — the terms that matter
Plain-English definitions for the 5 terms you'll see in any quote, certificate or enforcement notice for Water Regulations 1999.
- Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999WRR 1999
- The principal UK statute governing cold water fittings, materials and installation. Enforced by water undertakers (regional water companies).
- WRASWRAS
- Water Regulations Approval Scheme — the UK trade body that approves fittings + materials as compliant with WRR 1999. WRAS-approved products carry the WRAS mark.
- WaterSafeWaterSafe
- The umbrella body for UK plumbers approved under the 4 plumber-registration schemes (APHC, CIPHE, SNIPEF Wales, Watermark). WaterSafe registration covers Water Regs.
- Backflow Prevention DeviceBPD
- A non-return mechanism preventing contaminated water flowing backwards into the mains. Required on outside taps, irrigation, and any fluid-category-3+ outlet.
- Fluid CategoryFC
- WRR risk classification of water at a fitting — FC1 (drinkable) to FC5 (serious contamination risk e.g. sewage). Backflow prevention spec is set by the highest FC at the outlet.
How to commission compliant plumbing work
Five steps from instruction to certificate. Total time: 1d.
01
Check if notifiable
Day 0
Schedule 1 of WRR lists notifiable jobs — bidet, irrigation, water softener, garden tap, water-recycling, any FC3+ outlet, any installation increasing FC. If unsure, call your water company.
02
Pick WaterSafe plumber
Day 0–3
Verify on WaterSafe.org.uk. Many water companies skip the notification step where the plumber is WaterSafe-registered + the fittings are WRAS-approved.
03
Specify WRAS fittings
Day 1–3
Quotation should list WRAS-approved fittings. The WRAS Approved Products directory at WRAS.co.uk lists every approved item by manufacturer + product.
04
Install + test
Day of work
Plumber installs to WRR + IRWA Best Practice Guide. Pressure test before commissioning. Provide an installation certificate.
05
Keep certs
Permanent
Installation certificate + WRAS product evidence kept with property file. Conveyancers ask at sale; insurance underwriters increasingly check.
Water Regulations 1999. Done compliant.
Every TradeMatch-listed tradesperson covering Water Regulations 1999 carries the relevant scheme registration. Verified at onboarding, re-verified annually, certificates posted to you within 30 days of any notifiable work.
WaterSafe plumber + WRAS fittings vs unregistered work
Side-by-side comparison of the compliant route versus the unregistered shortcut. Most rows trace a straight line from regulation to financial exposure.
| Factor | WaterSafe + WRAS | Unregistered |
|---|---|---|
| COMPLIANT — RECOMMENDEDWater company notification | Often waived — WaterSafe handles | Required — 5 days before work |
| Backflow contamination risk | Compliant by design | Risk of FC3+ contamination of mains |
| Penalty exposure | None on the homeowner | Up to £1,000+ section 73 |
| Insurance | Standard | Underwriters increasingly flag |
| Sale-time | Documented compliance | Buyer's solicitor may flag |
| Material warranty | WRAS-approved → manufacturer warranty | Non-WRAS → warranty often void |
Source: Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, Defra IRWA Best Practice Guide.
The questions homeowners ask before they commit.
What is a WRAS approval?
Water Regulations Approval Scheme — the UK trade body that approves cold-water fittings + materials as compliant with the 1999 Regulations. WRAS-approved products carry the WRAS mark and are listed in the WRAS Directory at WRAS.co.uk. Using non-WRAS fittings can void the manufacturer's warranty and expose you to section 73 penalty.
Do I need to tell my water company about a new bathroom?
In most cases, yes — notification is required at least 5 working days before work starts for any installation listed in Schedule 1 of WRR (bidet, water softener, irrigation, garden tap, water-recycling). Many water companies offer a self-certification route for WaterSafe-registered plumbers + WRAS fittings, dropping the notification.
How much does a WaterSafe plumber cost?
WaterSafe registration doesn't add a premium — most UK plumbers covering domestic work are WaterSafe-registered as standard. Hourly rates: £45–£70 outside London; £60–£90 in London. Callouts £80–£150. The big-ticket items (boiler install, full bathroom) follow per-job pricing.
What's a backflow prevention device?
A non-return mechanism preventing contaminated water flowing backwards into the mains. Required on every outside tap, irrigation system, water-recycling system, and any fluid-category-3+ outlet. Spec depends on the FC: FC2 needs a single check valve; FC3 needs a verifiable RPZ valve; FC4+ needs an air gap.
Can I do my own plumbing?
Yes for owner-occupied homes — WRR doesn't prohibit DIY. But you must notify the water company for notifiable work, you must use WRAS-approved fittings, and the work must comply with the regulations. For any work crossing fluid categories or involving backflow, hire a WaterSafe plumber — the cost saving on DIY plumbing rarely covers the contamination risk.
Is WRAS the same as Water Byelaws (Scotland)?
Different statute — Scotland follows the Water Byelaws 2014 (administered by Scottish Water + Scottish Water Byelaws Office). Practical compliance route is identical — WRAS-approved fittings + WaterSafe-registered plumber. Northern Ireland follows the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations (NI) 2009 — broadly equivalent.
Going deeper.
Plumbing, regulation-compliant.
TradeMatch plumbers are WaterSafe registered, fitting WRAS-approved products to the 1999 Regulations. Notification handled, certificate issued.