I. Products and Processes in the Provision of Water Supplies
- Regulations 25-28 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 provide for the approval of substances, products and processes used in the provision of public water supplies. Approvals are issued by The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and The National Assembly for Wales (collectively referred to as the Authorities).
- The Committee on Products and Processes for Use in Public Water Supply (the Committee) advises the Authorities on approval issues.
The Committee on Products and Processes
- The Committee on Products and Processes is an advisory non-departmental public body. It consists of six members including a Chairman, members with expertise in engineering, materials science, toxicology and water treatment and a lay member representing water consumers’ interests. The Committee receives technical and administrative support from the Inspectorate.
- Following devolution in Scotland, the Committee assumed the status of a jointly established body (JEB). The effect of JEB status is that the Authorities and the Scottish Executive consult over the administration of the Committee.
The Statutory Approvals Scheme
- The purpose of the approvals scheme is to ensure that chemicals and construction materials do not cause adverse effects on water quality. Products are recommended for approval if they are considered to be unobjectionable on health grounds, in the light of the best available evidence at the time.
- Approval is given solely for the purposes of Regulation 25 and does not imply any recommendation as to the technical merits of a product.
Approvals issued in 2001
- The Committee met on six occasions in 2001 and 71 applications for approval were considered, including 36 new applications.
- The Authorities approved 27 products.
- One product was refused approval.
- The Authorities also gave approval to the modification of conditions to three currently listed products.
- The Secretary of State’s list of approved products contains all the currently approved products that may be used in public water supply. The list is posted on the web site address: www.dwi.gov.uk/cpp/index.htm
- The listed products were approved under regulation 25(1)(a) between 1 September 1989 and 31 December 2001.
- Products that are the subject of a BS EN are not listed, as these may be used without the approval of Government Authorities, providing that the national conditions of use are observed (see Impact of European Standards).
Impact of European Standards
- The removal of technical barriers to trade is a major aim of the European Union’s single market programme. Harmonised standards are being developed by the European Standards Institution (CEN) under European Union legislation.
- One objective of these standards is to remove technical barriers to trade resulting from national testing and checking requirements. As a consequence of the publication of European Standards (BS EN) for drinking water treatment chemicals, products that conform to a BS EN may be used without the approval of Government Authorities, providing that national conditions of use are observed.
- In respect of construction products used in contact with drinking water, the DG Enterprise Regulatory Group – Construction Products Drinking Water, is developing the European Acceptance Scheme for drinking water construction products. This will lead to the establishment of harmonised arrangements for testing and certification of construction products that are used in contact with drinking water.
- In the meantime, the Committee will continue to consider equivalent test results obtained from approval bodies in other countries. However, applicants will need to submit copies of test protocols and test results; test certificates alone will not be accepted.
- Information on the approval systems in EU and EFTA countries is available in a report commissioned by the Inspectorate entitled ‘European Approval Systems – Effects of Materials on Water Quality’ 2nd Edition (ISBN 1 898920 427). Available from WRc Publications Ltd. Tel: 01793 865138.
Designated Laboratories
- During 2001 LGC (Teddington) Ltd and The Water Quality Centre, Reading, continued their role as designated laboratories for analysis associated with applications for approval.
Review of Regulatory Changes in 2001
Epoxy resins
- Modified conditions of approval for in-situ applied epoxy resins were introduced on 1 December 2001. The modifications, which were given in Regulation 25 Letter 5/2001, imposed a stricter tolerance in the resin to hardener mix ratio and imposed a requirement to observe the operational requirements set out in ‘In-situ Epoxy Resin Lining - Operational Requirements and Code of Practice 3rd Edition’.
Audit requirement
- Regulation 25 Letter 6/2001 gave notice to approval holders of the intention to introduce an audit requirement on approved products. The Inspectorate has subsequently awarded a contract to WRc-NSF to carry out the inspection and sampling associated with the audit requirement. It is proposed to implement audit requirements starting in 2002.
Use of stainless steel products
- The prohibition of unapproved uses of materials in contact with water in water supply pipes, service reservoirs and water towers came into force on 1 October 2000. This gave rise to the need for suppliers to obtain approval for products that had formerly been eligible for unapproved use.
- Regulation 25 Letter 7/2001 introduced arrangements for approving the use of stainless steel products, subject to manufacture from specified grades of stainless steel and adherence to the Code of Practice on installation published by the British Stainless Steel Association.
Copies of the Regulation 25 letters referred to above have been posted on the web site at www.dwi.gov.uk/cpp/index.htm.
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Published 10 July 2002
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