Got my Water Safe membership pack through today.

[Mike Jackson]

Alonhg with a new WIAPS card which is now combined with the water safe card. Also got a sticker which is now on the side of the beast.

 

[Centralheatking]

Thank you - I will act upon your good advice - it is a very good scheme

I will check if its company applied or for individuals to register........centralheatking

Water Safe is an extension of the existing Water Industry Approved Plumber Scheme. To become a WIAP you need to have passed the water regs course. The benefit of being part of the WIAP/Water Safe scheme is the ability to carry out notifiable works without having to give the statutory notice and being inspected by the water inspector.

At the moment the water regulations are very poorly policed and installations are carried out without being notified or inspected but OFWAT are concerned about the regular blatant breaches of the regulations and subsequent risk to public health. For quite some time there has been a levy on water bills that has been put into a fund that is supposed to be used to increase compliance with and public awareness of the regulations. This fund has been slowly inreasing and lain unused for quite some time. The water undertakings were told that unless this money was used to promote public awareness of the necessity of following the water regs they would have to give the money back. We all know that returniung money is anathema to any public body, hence the creation of Water safe. It may all come to nothing but it can't hurt to be in at the beginning.

 

[julesverne]

this is an article from heating and plumbing no link to gain water safe membership i suppose looking on your local water authority web site should give that info.
[DLMURL="http://www.hpmmag.com/plumbingitem.asp?articleID=1506"]Heating & Plumbing Monthly Plumbing: WaterSafe approved plumbers scheme[/DLMURL]

 

[tamz]

Here is a link about the Water Safe scheme.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...h1XSa8fqqJ8uQ4wBz58IBVA&bvm=bv.50500085,d.d2k
In theory it is a good idea but the problem is getting customers to recognise it.
I've been a licenced plumber for over 12 years now (can't remember when it started but sometime around 2000) and ever had as much as one job (that i know of) through that. I am also water safe for all the good it will do.
The licencing thing up here has now developed into this
CLE Construction Licensing Executive Home
but i doubt very much if that will be any different. There is not enough public awareness of any of this which is hardly surprising when most in the trade know little about it.

Btw CHK it is a company thing. On person with water regs training for every 10 employees.

 

[Mike Jackson]

When you complete the water regs training you get the info through with your card. You'll probably also find the info through the WRAS site.

 

[kay-jay]

from the wras website

The Water Industry Approved plumber Scheme (WIAPS)
WIAPS is funded by most of the Water Suppliers to administer an approved plumbers scheme for them. In order to become a WIAPS member, applicants have to demonstrate that they have been suitably trained as a plumber, that they have adequate knowledge of the Regulations by passing an assessment and they must be able to confirm that they have sufficient insurance cover.
There is no membership fee for a plumber who wants to join WIAPS but there is a charge for taing the assessment of regulations knowledge through WIAPS.
Water Suppliers often get asked by their customers to recommend a plumber. On request, they will provide their customers with details of Approved Plumbers. The details are also freely available to the public on this website.

 

[kay-jay]

2 million squids pli required

 

[kay-jay]

A number of Water Suppliers in E


details and link to application here

 

[SimonJohns]

Am I reading this correctly

There is now a WATER SAFE!

Well do me with a big stick. I can't believe there is another rip of scheme to lighten people's pockets

No customer will ever hear of this. It to be more exact. Give a poop!

I've had customers who don't even care about Gassafe.

I hope the government steps in soon and says that all of these so called Bodies stops.

We need to stop spending money on rubbish and get on with the job in hand

 

[hammers4spanner]

appears to be free although i totally agree with what your saying

 

[stevetheplumber]

well if water safe achieves the same status as gas safe this forum will be finished as we will no longer be able to give advice on water related matters

 

[Rickster123]

well if water safe achieves the same status as gas safe this forum will be finished as we will no longer be able to give advice on water related matters

theres always the ptfe tape discussion and the paste or no paste argument!

 

[Dotty]

well if water safe achieves the same status as gas safe this forum will be finished as we will no longer be able to give advice on water related matters

Of course we will. Just not to diyers or the unlicensed.

Also means, because diy would be dead to all intents and purposes, that more tradesmen would be gainfully employed.

Win win situation imho.

 

[Masood]

Of course we will. Just not to diyers or the unlicensed.

Also means, because diy would be dead to all intents and purposes, that more tradesmen would be gainfully employed.

Win win situation imho.

You can buy boilers on amazon.co.uk I kid you not. Do you think DIY will ever die out in this country? An Englishman's home being his castle and all that?!

 

[Hybrid]

I think diy is already dying in this country, very few young men can be bothered to do anything around the house these days. I've even had dads ringing me on their kids behalf because they don't know how to "deal" with tradesmen.

 

[LUCIALIA]

Water Safe is free, you just need to have WRAS & 2mil public liability.

 

[hammers4spanner]

lucialia your avatar is pants

 

[LUCIALIA]

Assuming that you're a West Ham supporter I can only think that you're upset with the fact that your team is becoming full of Liverpool rejects........ ;-)

 

[lame plumber]

Assuming that you're a West Ham supporter I can only think that you're upset with the fact that your team is becoming full of Liverpool rejects........ ;-)

I can see all your questions getting all the right replies

 

[hammers4spanner]

decided to join this scheme after all cant hurt and be good if insurance companies took note

 

[LUCIALIA]

Doesn't hurt also that it's free! If only it meant something to our custards, looks good though I think.

 

[hammers4spanner]

agree with mike that if cust asks then you can explain the fact that you actuually are a fully trained plumbs which in this day is getting rare

 

[LUCIALIA]

Very true, just seems that many people take it for granted that the 'plumber' they are trusting is actually qualified whether they are or not. Then these so called plumbers put us qualified ones in a bad light. It would be nice for the national press or similar to make a point of acknowledging the water safe scheme & its members, similar to how they do it with gas safe.....

 

[hammers4spanner]

phoned around about joining this today get some more info and two things i was told

1, apparently this is going to be pushed big time through the media come october time something the water authorities are taking seriously

2, this doesn't appear to be free as such yes water safe scheme is free but you have to sign up to one of these aphc or ciphe malarky at a nice monthly cost

or is their another way around this??

 

[LUCIALIA]

I'm in neither of those. I simply got my Water Safe through the WIAPS scheme, which I think you need to prove your qualifications and have £2mil PL insurance.

 

[hammers4spanner]

just a case of printing it out and sending it off then