There are various steps to follow and checks to be made to ensure water quality is protected from deterioration and a safe supply provided to all consumers.
Some checks must be made before connecting one of these points to the mains drinking water supply.
Any point or other associated fittings to be connected to our network must meet the requirements of Regulation 4 of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. This is a requirement for all plumbing fittings intended for connection to the mains water supply.
They must be of an appropriate quality and standard and bear either a CE mark, conforming to an appropriate British or other European standard, or have been granted approval by an accredited tester (eg, KIWA, WRAS, NSF).
Find approved plumbing products including approved refill points and water fountains.
Water refill points without a current approval certificate, will not be authorised to connect to the mains water supply. This is to ensure the point's water quality remains safe and wholesome and is not at risk of deterioration, potentially affecting the health of consumers who use it.
Once you’ve selected a refill point, you must decide where it needs to go.
You should consider the following points to ensure it’s located in a hygienic environment in order to safeguard the water quality.
If possible, select an area you know has a water supply already or existing water mains nearby to which it can be connected. This will affect which of the processes you need to follow in the diagram below.
To ensure good circulation of water to the refill point, the pipe should not be oversized and should be no greater than 10m in length (for a 25mm diameter pipe). Otherwise, a flushing programme may be needed to keep the supply fresh – see the ownership section below.
If you’re not sure of the best location for a refill point, our customer experience team is available to discuss the options and offer advice. They can be contacted via email.
Follow either the (a) Notification of installation (Regulation 5) route or (b) New Connection route.
The team processing your application will be able to answer any further questions and will guide you through the process until the refill point is installed.
We’ve provided a guidance diagram for a typical water refill point installation below. All points must have as a minimum a single check valve installed on the inlet supply.
Refer to the installation requirement notes (IRNs) accompanying the approved product and ensure they are followed, otherwise the installation won’t meet the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. These can be found in the online WRAS approved product directory with the entry for the product.
If the refill point is going to be located outside, exposed to weather and other elements, ensure it’s a model that can cope with extreme cold temperatures, or that extra measures are taken to reduce the risk of water freezing.
Please provide full specifications for the refill point and any other accessories to be installed, such as a water cooler, within your application. Wherever possible, include copies of the approval certificates for the product. These can be obtained from the manufacturer.
Drainage must also be taken into consideration – unused or waste water from the refill point must drain away into one of the following:
We will check that the location and unit selected are appropriate for a water refill point and once approved, will give advice to progress the installation.
We'll need to carry out a site visit to confirm the installation meets the regulations before the connection can be made. This is to prevent the water quality deteriorating.
If an existing supply connection is to be used, the premises this is supplying will also be inspected to ensure nothing can backflow into the supply to the refill point.
The applicant will be responsible for arranging a contractor to carry out work required for the installation on the private pipework. We will carry out any work required on our pipes and other assets.
All water refill points will be metered to monitor unit usage and detect leaks. Metering will either be a part of the existing supply or installed by us at the same time as the new connection.
The owner of the water supply to the refill point will be responsible for the following:
Point maintenance: This should meet the manufacturer’s specification. Regular cleaning programme. This is recommended for the life of the refill point to protect the drinking water quality from deterioration.
An appropriate flushing regime: This will be required as part of the maintenance programme for the life of the refill point. This is especially important after prolonged periods where it has not been used, for instance, if switched off in the winter. The supply pipe to the refill point should be flushed several times.
Monitoring: We recommend a sample of water is taken during commissioning of the refill point and satisfactory test results received before it is made available to the public.
Regular monitoring should be carried out to ensure the water quality does not deteriorate. If any issues are detected, they should be resolved swiftly.
Water regulations
If you have any queries regarding this document or would like to discuss further, please contact us email Regulation5.Notification@wessexwater.co.uk.
New connections team
If you would like to discuss the new supply application process please call 01225 526222 or email supplyconnectionenquiries@wessexwater.co.uk.