Water regulations

Our dedicated teams are responsible for the provision of water supplies associated with all aspects of development. Whether it is a new housing settlement, a commercial development, or the building or conversion of individual homes, we are here to help.

Included in this charter are tables that list exactly what a developer is required to submit or do in order for us to be able to provide each of the services. If the criteria for each application are met, your application will run more smoothly and will not be subject to delays.

We know that each development is unique but by talking to us as early as possible, we can identify your needs and together ensure that they are met efficiently and on time.

This charter does not aim to provide in-depth information on each of the processes described within it – it merely outlines the services we provide and the timescale (in calendar days) in which we provide them. It also outlines the information that must be provided or the activities that must be completed by developers or those working on their behalf, to enable us to provide those services. Each section in this charter does, however, provide further details of the source of further information on the activities being discussed.

The scheme is for all customers including developers and self-lay providers.

In our resources section listed here you will find information on all charges which will help understand things like:

• General conditions, payment dates, options and charges
• Connection, disconnection, development and infrastructure charges
• Collection of domestic water debts
• Collection of commercial water debts
• Customer enquiries and complaints.

For further information, please see the useful documents listed.

For details of the Bristol Water code of practice on enforcement of the Water Regulations, please continue to read below.

We’ve created a new calculator to allow developers and SLP providers to calculate indicative quotes. This can be found within the ‘Useful documents’ section of this page.

Our charging arrangements are reviewed annually to ensure that our reasonable costs are covered and technical requirements are being met.

We continually seek improvement in our service, passing through efficiencies where identified. As we work on our charging proposals for 2025/26 we will carefully consider regulatory rules, guidance and change, as well as customer feedback, while balancing the five core charging principles.

Your feedback matters which is why we engage with our customers every year. Your views and opinions help us set our charging arrangement. You can find out more information and provide your feedback in our DS Charges Consultation document.

DS charges consultation document

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 are statutory requirements for the design, installation, composition and maintenance of water fixtures and fittings.

“Water fittings” means any item that is connected to your water supply, such as taps, valves, cisterns and solder, and applied from the point where water enters the property’s underground service pipe.

The Water Regulations were created under the Water Industry Act 1991 to ensure the safety of the water supply.

The five main purposes of the Water Regulations are to protect against:

• contamination
• waste
• misuse
• undue consumption
• erroneous measurement.

Everyone must comply with the Water Regulations and water companies have an obligation to enforce them.

By law, owners and occupiers, and anyone who instals or maintains plumbing systems and water fittings, must ensure that their plumbing fittings have been designed, installed and maintained correctly to prevent drinking water being contaminated or wasted. For new buildings the same is true for architects, building developers and plumbers, who have to follow the Water Regulations on behalf of future owners or occupiers.

We need to be told in advance of certain plumbing work that you plan to undertake. We will review the information you provide and give consent for the work to begin or advise you of any special requirements that you need to be aware of.

We cannot ‘unreasonably’ withhold consent for your work. If you have not received a reply from us within 10 working days of writing to us, consent is ‘deemed’ to have been given and you can proceed with the work. For further information, please click on the links under “Useful documents” below.