Drinking Fountains Use and Abuse
Information Sheet - June 2015
It is a little known fact that whilst bottled water is quite safe to drink, it does not meet the same rigorous water
quality standards we have to achieve as your water supplier. Alternatively you could find a mains water drinking
water fountain.
in exposed areas no amount of insulation will prevent
New Installations
freezing if the temperature is below freezing for prolonged
When planning any new installation or refurbishing an old periods. In such cases due consideration should be given
to either, turning off and draining the supply or providing
one, there are three key elements that apply to both new
and refurbished systems, Location, Materials and Fittings thermostatically controlled heat tracing. (fig 1)
& Management.
The drinking water fountain should wherever practicable
be located and constructed such that it is protected from
any form of contamination or vandalism.
Fountains do take this into consideration by making
the installation as robust as possible. After preventing
contamination the next most important factor is the water
connection to the fountain.
Long lengths of pipework supplying single fittings,
often referred to as ‘dead-legs’, can, result a gradual
deterioration of water quality. To combat this the
branch pipe supplying the fountain should be as short
as possible and no longer than a metre. This can be
achieved by taking the branch immediately prior to a
water fitting in regularly use on the same line. This will
ensure that the water supply leading to the fountain
is frequently turned over reducing the likelihood of
stagnation.
When fountains are fitted inside premises is it possible
for contamination to occur though airborne sources.
Drinking water fountains are sometimes located in
public toilets. When a toilet is flushed particles can travel
several meters contaminating anything it lands on. For
installations where there is a dedicated supply direct
from our mains to a drinking water fountain the company
requires the installation of an approved check valve in a
suitably constructed chamber no less than 3 metres from
the boundary.
The fountain and the supply to it should also be located
so it is not subjected to extreme temperatures. Ideally
the water should not be above 20°C but for practicable
purposes 25°C is acceptable. Where this cannot be
achieved measures should be taken to lessen any
impact on water quality. Pipe insulation will protect water
from becoming warm just as well as protecting it against
freezing. When insulating external installations the
insulation must be carried down into the ground at least
750mm below the finished ground level. For fountains
These are probably the easiest elements to comply with.
Regulation 4 1 (a) and (b) state, “every water fitting shall
be of an appropriate quality and
standard and be suitable for the
circumstances in which it is used”.
There are various ways this can
be achieved but the simplest is
fig - 1
to use only fittings and materials
that are Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS)
approved.
Regarding the drinking water valve itself, the WRAS
Water Regulations Guide includes specific guidance on
this, clause G15.15, stating, “Drinking water fountains
should be designed so that the outlet of the water delivery
jet nozzle is at least 25mm above the spillover level of
the bowl. The nozzle should be provided with a screen
or hood to protect it from contamination”. A copy of the
Guide can be purchased direct from WRAS, from Bristol
Water or through any good book shop [ISBN 0 -95397080-9].
There are of course many purpose built drinking water
taps and fountains available
(fig 2); to find those that are
water industry approved,
search on line at www.wras.
co.uk If you are planning to
install a drinking fountain we
recommend you discuss
your proposals with us prior
fig - 2
commencing work.
Pipe insulation will protect water from becoming
warm just as well as protecting it against freezing
Supplies should ideally be kept at a temperature
not exceeding 20°C
water regulations
Location
Materials and Fittings
Once an installation is complete the day-to-day
management and maintenance is often neglected. It
may be just a tap but like any other mechanical device
it needs to be maintained; after all in hot weather it may
be used by hundreds of people in a single day! It also
follows that the more use it gets the quicker it wears,
conversely, taps that get little use are more likely to seize
up and possibly stick open, and in so doing waste water.
Consequently regular checks should be made to ensure
the fittings remain operable. It is further recommended
that the drinking water point be regularly sanitised and
samples taken to check on the wholesomeness of the
water.
Therefore, to aid this it is critical to develop a robust
management/ maintenance regime. In the first instance
a manager should be designated responsibility for the
fountain/s and a maintenance programme should be
agreed. To ensure the programme is adhered to, a log
should be kept detailing all repairs and maintenance
including the date of any work and the name of the
person undertaking it. Each entry should be signed by
the operative and by the manager responsible. Should
any future problems arise in relation to the fountain the
log would constitute proof that as far as was practicable
all reasonable steps were taken to maintain the fountain
to acceptable standards.
Refurbishing Existing Fountains
The concern here is where
previously redundant drinking
fountains are brought back
into use (fig 3). One has
to remember many of the
supplies to these will have
been laid years ago and are
likely to be of materials no
longer suitable for modern
installations, lead being a
fig 3
prime example, the use of
lead in any form within a wholesome water system was
banned several years ago. Galvanised iron was another
common material which whilst not banned per se can
cause water quality problems where it rusts internally.
Additionally, if the pipe was not wrapped in protective
tape, as most older supplies were not, it can corrode
externally resulting in leaks. In some cases the original
pipework may have been replaced with more modern
polyethylene pipe, in such cased the pipe may be used
subject to a pressure test and disinfection.
However, polyethylene has its own problems. Circa
1960 there was a move away from the traditional lead
and iron pipes to polyethylene (sometimes referred to as
plastic) but one of the subsequent problems found with
it was its susceptibility to permeation by very low levels
of hydrocarbons such as petrol and diesels, which leech
through the wall of the pipe and contaminate the water, a
level as low as 1 teaspoon full of petrol to a tonne of soil
can result in contamination*. Generally speaking the risk
is very low the only real problem areas being car parks
and garages where there is a greater risk of fuel spillage.
For this reason if you encounter a drinking water fountain
where the water tastes or smells ‘funny’ inform the local
environmental health office.
This risk was recognised over 30 years ago and since
that time all new pipe laid in high risk areas is either of a
non-permeable material or incorporates an impervious
barrier coating.
All in all given the potential for contamination Bristol
Water requires that where an existing water fountain
is to be re-utilised after being out of service for more
than 12 months, the work be treated as if it were a new
installation. In such cases all elements of the installation
must comply with the current regulations.
For those using the fountains
Any drinking fountain located
outside will by its very nature be
open to external contaminants
from dogs, birds and vermin; if
it is in a park near flower beds
it might be subject to overspray
from horticultural chemicals; if
it is an area frequented by late
night revelers who know what
use it might be put to; and of
course there is the possible
contamination from those
who put their mouths in direct
contact with the outlet. For
these reasons the minimum
TapintoBristol the Bristol
one should do before drinking Water fountain instalation in
Millennium Square.
the water is to run the tap
until the water is clear and cold, the ideal solution, if
you have any with you, is to wipe the outlet with a fresh
anti-bacterial hand wipe, after which the wipe should be
discarded responsibly.
It is much more cost effective to sort out issues
before they become a problem.
For further information call the Water Regulations
Department on 0117 638 516, or email us at
waterregulations@bristolwater.co.uk.
water regulations
Management