Marinas ask to be given a break!
Water supply pumped from a storage cistern incorporating a fluid Category 5 air gap for backflow protection
Over the past 18 months, the British Marine Federation (BMF) and The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA) have witnessed an increasing number of cases where marina operators on the coast have been issued with enforcement notices.
Brian Clark, environment executive at the BMF, explains the main provisions under the regulations; how they affect our industry and details a collaboration project between the BMF and the regulatory bodies to manage the risk with minimal operative restrictions.
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 are intended to prevent the waste, misuse, undue consumption, contamination or erroneous measurement of the public water supplies. All who install or use plumbing systems have a legal duty to comply with the regulations.
The regulations identify five different fluid categories, Category 1 being wholesome drinking water (supplied by the water authority) and Category 5 being water containing contaminants, which are a serious health risk, for example pathogenic organisms, or very toxic substances.
The regulations define a coastal marina as posing a fluid Category 5 risk to the contamination of mains water supply and as a result must put in place mechanisms to prevent the risk of contamination from occurring.
The regulations state that the only device to guarantee prevention of fluid Category 5 water contaminating the mains water is a break tank.
A break tank is a unit that has an inlet for the mains water, an air break between the inlet and the holding tank, before the water is then released through the outlet by means of either gravity or a pump. The air gap will act as a barrier between the incoming water and the water in the holding tank if there is a loss of pressure from the mains supply.
After hearing from a number of extremely concerned members, the BMF took on the challenge to work with the water authorities and the Water Regulatory Advisory Scheme (WRAS) to find a solution which would not impose disproportionate costs compared to the risk for marina operators.
Through debate, the two parties agreed that by following a maintenance schedule and working in partnership, sensible and pragmatic solutions could be adopted by marina operators without the need to install break tanks throughout their site.
Consultation
The agreement, currently still in consultation between the BMF and the WRAS technical committee, will allow marina operators to continue supplying mains water to their berth holders for the purposes of filling their holding tanks or washing down their vessels. The agreement will not cover any other activities that require the use of hose union taps or hoses around the site, for example irrigation.
For marina operators, all hoses on pontoons will need to be removed and the berth holder supply their own flat hose. A site plan of the marina will also be required, identifying those hose union taps which will be covered under this maintenance schedule.Until the BMF and the WRAS technical committee have finalised the detail of the agreement, the WRAS has advised all water authorities to take a step back on enforcing the installation of break tanks around the site.
Once the agreement has been made, the BMF will produce guidance to all members which will have full support and backing from the WRAS. The partnership between the BMF and the WRAS will also see the production of signage for all marina sites, so a consistent approach to relaying the information can be made.
The WRAS technical committee is made up of representatives from all water authorities. This agreement is being delivered at a national level, however the regulations are enforced locally.
Each water authority will be encouraged to sign up to the agreement from the WRAS, however it is ultimately the decision of the individual enforcement team to adopt the scheme. The WRAS has reassured the BMF that it will do all that is in its power to make this a national initiative, delivering a sustainable solution to this risk based legislation.
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