WRAS stands for Water Regulations Advisory Scheme. WRAS approval relates to the installation of products from public mains water supply to comply with Water Supply Regulations.
These regulations ensure that various water fittings do not cause undue consumption, misuse, water, or contamination of the water supply as well as being high-quality.
A company receives WRAS approval directly from esteemed members of the water suppliers which allows them to show they comply with these regulations.
Products made from unsuitable materials can contaminate water by catalysing the growth of bacteria or dissolving metals. As a result, this can cause water to possess a smelly odour, unsavoury taste, or even make you ill. Therefore, any products that contaminate water do not meet water supply regulations and would be considered illegal.
WRAS approved products have gone through extensive testing to qualify as suitable to carry water from the public mains water supply in the UK while complying with Water Supply Regulations.
It doesn’t matter if a product is made from a variety of WRAS approved components, when assembled it must completely comply with the regulations. This includes popular water products such as clean water combined tanks and booster sets that will fail if they have a wrongly sized air gap. On the WRAS website, you can see whether or not a product has been approved.
The purpose of WRAS is to improve public health by preventing the contamination of public water supplies. In addition, helping to make water use more efficient in the UK and consistently comply with the Water Supply Regulations.
For products to gain WRAS approval they must go through a thorough process where the materials present in a product must be tested in a lab. The testing involves analysing if the product can come into contact with potable water. In some cases, the testing may also include checking if the product has an appropriate mechanism to block backflow and prevent water wastage.
When a product is approved by the WRAS it receives a certificate and is listed on the WRAS website. After five years, the equipment must be retested to ensure it still complies with WRAS approved regulations.