Gray Water

[Alex Pelton]

Hi all

I've got a customer who has an outside tap supplied from a grey water storage tank in the loft, this is pumped up from an underground tank fed by rainwater. The custard wants to be able to switch this outside tap from gray water to mains water at will. Easy enough to do with lever actions and double check valves to protect the mains, But does it contravene the water regs?? I think the 2 waters shouldn't ever mix but I'm unsure

 

[AWheating]

yes it does break the regs,you cant combine the two together directly. you require and air gap and cant mix the two lots of pipework. you cant even change it over connecting any of the exsisting grey water pipework to the cold supply it would all have to be new pipework. best to fit another tap.

 

[AWheating]

the exsisting grey water may have a cold fill backup device to the tank in the loft or ground via an air gap?

 

[AWheating]

also if you do fit another tap the tap supplied by the grey water requires a identitiy plate with grey/reclaimed water not for drinking on it or very simular(wras requirement). Dont want anyone mixing the two up and drinking bad water

 

[Alex Pelton]

Thanks for confirming that AW, It was fitted by a previous plumber on a new build who has disappeared and nothing is labeled!! It does have a cold fill backup in the tank in the loft, recycles itself every so many hours if not used, quite an expensive and complex bit of kit. If the outside tap purely does gray water does it require it to have a label? common sense says it should but is it required by the regs?

 

[AWheating]

yes. Both the outside tap, any cisterns and tanks (inc. any toilets connected)the pipework and any fixtures and valves should all be labeled up so there is no chance of it ever being drunk, or crossed over. theres a guide on the wras website if memory serves. the labels are normally black and green.

 

[Alex Pelton]

Off to their webpage now thanks