Welsh drinking water quality failures caused by home plumbing – The Pembrokeshire Herald

The quality of drinking water in Wales is overwhelming. According to the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s annual report, 99.97 percent of water delivered to homes and businesses passes key water quality tests.

However, routine water sampling conducted by water companies shows that more than a third of tests that fail the standard are due to poor internal plumbing. These included the presence of bacteria and chemicals as well as taste and odor problems.

Poor sanitation practices and inadequate fittings are a major cause of degrading drinking water quality after it is safely piped into people’s homes.

The use of unsuitable or non-compliant products can lead to the formation of bacteria. In one such case in Wales, a showerhead fitting had been attached to a kitchen tap, causing bacteria to grow inside the fitting.

Households are advised to only install compliant plumbing products. To comply with water supply (water fittings) regulations, products must be tested to ensure they meet standards and are suitable for use.

Now WaterSafe, the UK register of approved contractors working with drinking water, is urging homeowners and property managers to always employ someone officially approved to work on their plumbing system – to maintain the quality of their drinking water.

Julie Spinks, Director at WaterSafe, explains: “Hiring a WaterSafe approved contractor for any work on your water supply line or internal plumbing is one of the easiest ways to keep you and your family safe.

“Simple plumbing work can make a big difference, such as: B. Make sure your taps are clean and in good condition and never install unapproved devices such as shower heads on them.

“Hiring a WaterSafe approved plumber gives customers the peace of mind that they are hiring a competent and qualified professional to maintain high drinking water quality in their homes.”

Marcus Rink, Managing Director of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, explains: “Overall, drinking water in England is of extremely high quality and meets 99.97% of the required standard.

“It is important that we do not become complacent as our annual report states that more than a third of samples that failed to meet the required standard were due to internal plumbing issues.

“We would like to warn people to avoid unqualified plumbers who could inadvertently cause contamination of the water supply and instead contact a suitably qualified, licensed plumber.

“Consumers should hire a plumber who is accredited by a national accreditation body for competent and qualified plumbers, such as WaterSafe.”

The annual water quality reports summarize the results of hundreds of thousands of water quality tests that UK water companies carry out each year on the water they supply to their customers’ homes from water treatment plants and pure water storage tanks.

These tests are analyzed in special laboratories and the results are reported to the water regulatory authority, the Drinking Water Inspectorate.