W.R.A.S.

Give me a W!

Give me an R!

Give me an A!

Give me an S!

What have we got? The Water Regulations Advisory Scheme! Yeeeaaahhhhh!!

Confused? Don’t worry, many people are when it comes to WRAS. The initials may be clear, once they’ve been explained, but what isn’t quite so clear is why they should be important to you. Allow mw to clarify.

As a business owner, it is incumbent upon you to supply “wholesome drinking water” to your team. It must be adequate in quantity to meet the needs of your employees, and freely available when required. The water must be clean and uncontaminated, and all equipment used to deliver the water must be certified safe in accordance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations and Scottish Byelaws (1999).

So far, so sensible.

What isn’t quite so sensible is the fact that drinking fountains, sports bottle refill stations, taps, and general plumbing ware sold in the UK does not need a certificate proving its worthiness to go on sale. But, once it gets on to your premises, you do need documentation to prove that it is compliant with all water supply regulations. If you can’t do that, the Drinking Water Inspectorate can ask you to have the equipment removed, and even fine you.

So, what can you do? With overseas imports flooding the market (‘scuse the pun), it doesn’t take much more than a hasty click to find yourself on the wrong side of the law when shopping for drinking fountains. The easiest way to save yourself the headache is to look for the WRAS mark.

WRAS is an independent testing agency created to put products that will be linked to the water mains through their paces. This means testing every component, every material and every completed unit to make sure that they are safe. If a unit – whether a shower head or a drinking fountain – displays the WRAS mark you can be certain that it adheres to the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations and Scottish Byelaws. If it doesn’t, then you would be wise to doubt.

MIW’s two main drinking fountain and sports bottle refill station suppliers, Halsey Taylor and Elkay, have been 100% WRAS certified. Elkay recently spent two years and US$180,000 to achieve this status. Both companies can boast a stellar history and expertise, but it’s this dedication to customer service and wellbeing that makes us proud to be associated with the brands.

MIW Water Cooler Experts is now recognised as the UK’s leading authority on indoor and outdoor drinking fountains and bottle refill stations. When it comes to abiding by regulations, our rule of thumb is usually “where there’s a WRAS there’s a way”. But, if you’re worried that your business might not be complying with the current laws, just give us a call. We’re always happy to provide expert advice, guidance and support, whenever you need us.

Tel: 01207 572 000