Water UK has appointed the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to accredit companies wishing to be nominated certifying bodies for contractors carrying out in situ lining of water mains.

The accredited bodies will provide certification to lining contractors’ equipment and personnel training as required by the operational requirements and the code of practice that Water UK launched.

The industry has carried out significant activity in recent years with approximately 1700km per annum of mains rehabilitated by in situ lining at an estimated cost of circa £100m. It is important that this activity continues as a vital and economic technique to maintain assets and secure safe and clean drinking water for our customers.

Water UK has taken over the responsibility from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). This involves the ownership, design and management of process and procedures to ensure that in-situ lining of water mains does not affect water quality.

As the process of in-situ lining of water mains has the potential for significant water quality impacts, the materials used are managed through the setting of approval conditions by the DWI. Once approved, lining products must be applied in accordance with strict documented operational requirements and a code of practice. It is this process that is covered by the operational requirements and code of practice which are now the responsibility of Water UK.

Companies wishing to act as nominated certifying bodies need to have held DWI nomination at 31 December 2006, be registered for accreditation with UKAS and become fully accredited by 31 December 2007. New entrants need to obtain UKAS accreditation directly.