Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 Courses In Birmingham and Water Byelaws Scotland 2003

The recently introduced Home Information Packs, a requirement for people wishing to sell their properties, will also require plumbing certificates and of course many plumbing works now overlap into Building Regulations work. Landlords are also under greater regulation than ever before and both they and their letting agents are insisting that all plumbing work is being signed off as installed competently. To do this requires proof that the installer is indeed competent and has a full understanding of the work the he/she will be undertaking and this can be achieved by joining the WIAPS scheme, which may involve becoming an approved contractor. To become a member of WIAPS it is essential that you complete the Water regulation training and certification as well as hold a recognised plumbing qualification.

What is an approved contractor?

A person who-

has been approved by the water undertaker for the area where a water fitting is installed, or, used, or
(b) has been certified as an approved contractor by an organisation specified in writing by the regulator;

Most Water Undertakings in the UK do not directly operate their own “Approved Contractor” scheme, they utilise the services of WIAPS a scheme that they finance and run (The Water Industry Approved Plumbers Scheme). Members of this scheme are deemed approved by the local water undertaker.

To join a scheme an operative must be competent, have adequate insurance and be knowledgeable on the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 or Water Byelaws in Scotland .

All the “Approved Contractor” schemes accept the BPEC Water Regulations Qualification for the purposes of the knowledge element of the scheme entry criteria.

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