What is the Water Regulations Approval Scheme (WRAS)?
In the UK, any material in contact with the water supply must meet the strict requirements set out in the Water Supply Regulations or Scottish Byelaws. Standards such as WRAS and BS 6920 are designed to demonstrate compliance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations. These guidelines focus on non-metallic materials and components used in systems that store or transport water intended for human consumption.
To ensure these materials do not compromise water quality, they undergo rigorous chemical, physical, and microbiological testing, including odour and flavour assessments.
What are the 2024 Updates to WRAS?
In November 2024, WRAS regulations were updated to introduce a stricter process for approving new materials. In many scenarios, manufacturers are now required seek guidance directly from WRAS on the testing requirements for their products before testing can be started. There have also been significant changes to the requirements for permissible ingredients, in particular biocides.
These updates have changed the way in which Smithers and manufacturers work together to create a testing plan.
Several key changes are highlighted below. If you have questions about the changes and testing for your products, please contact Smithers water contact materials experts for support and advice.
How does this affect your WRAS approvals and reapprovals?
Where Smithers can still assist directly with test requirements
Smithers continues to provide guidance and define test requirements for:
- Components with existing WRAS approval: If a manufacturer uses a component with existing WRAS approval, testing follows the specifications in the WRAS guidance table, which is publicly available on the WRAS website.
- Elastomeric Materials: For rubber materials where the variation is shore hardness and / or in-radius.
- Thermoplastics: For materials and components where the plastic is identical except for filler content.
Biocides and Active Substances
WRAS no longer reviews biocides. Applicants must now verify that any biocides used are approved under Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR/GB BPR) guidelines. No product containing a biocide will be processed unless its approval is confirmed.
Where direct input on testing from WRAS is now required
In many cases applicants will now need to seek guidance on test requirements directly from WRAS and additional lead time should be allowed for this.
Circumstances where manufacturers should now contact WRAS for test requirements include:
- Changes to colour for an existing approval or for new products with a range of colours.
- Fittings now require a separate approval process, even where the material is identical to an approved product.
- Where there is an increase to the permitted water temperature of an existing approval.
- Where there are additions or changes to manufacturing sites.
If you are uncertain about the regulatory changes and when to contact WRAS, Smithers water contact materials experts can provide support and advice.
How can Smithers help?
Our expert team will help you navigate these regulatory changes. As an ISO 17025 accredited and WRAS recognised material testing laboratory, Smithers water contact materials experts will help you assess the compliance of materials and products to BS 6920, supporting with submissions to the Water Regulations Approval Scheme (WRAS).
Smithers continues to provide responsive support for test programmes, whether these have been developed by Smithers or agreed directly with WRAS. Our BS 6920 testing methods include:
- Odour and flavour
- Appearance - colour and turbidity
- Growth of aquatic microorganisms – MDOD
- Cytotoxicity
- Extraction of metals
