Millions of us turn on the tap every day and assume the water coming out is safe to drink. But behind every glass is a largely unseen workforce making decisions that can directly affect the quality of Britain’s drinking water.
Training experts at Essential Site Skills are highlighting the vital role played by workers across the water industry as scrutiny around drinking water quality continues to increase.
Most people will never see the network of pipes, valves, fittings, coatings, chemicals and other products involved in getting drinking water safely from source to tap. Yet every product that comes into contact with drinking water has the potential to affect its quality. That means decisions made during specification, procurement, installation, repair and maintenance can all matter – and the responsibility extends far beyond the person physically carrying out the work. Energy & Utility Skills Register (EUSR) has recently highlighted the importance of the people working behind the scenes to protect drinking water, noting that every valve installed, repair completed and product introduced into the network has the potential to affect water quality.
Catherine Storer, Director at construction and utilities training provider Essential Site Skills, said: “Most of us fill the kettle, pour a glass of water or brush our teeth without giving any thought to what has happened before that water reaches the tap – and that is exactly how it should be. “But keeping drinking water safe involves far more than simply treating it at the source. There are people throughout the supply chain making decisions every day about the products, materials and equipment that can come into contact with it. “A component might look insignificant, but if it is being used within a drinking water system, the wrong choice or incorrect use can have much wider consequences. “That is why knowledge matters. It isn’t enough to know how to fit or use something – workers also need to understand what is permitted, why those controls exist and when they need to seek further advice.”
Strict controls exist around the substances, materials and products that can be used in the treatment and distribution of drinking water. In England and Wales, Regulation 31 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations sets requirements around substances and products used in the preparation and distribution of drinking water, with related requirements applying elsewhere in the UK.
But responsibility for protecting water quality does not sit with one job role alone. Those making purchasing decisions, specifying products, managing projects, supervising work or physically installing and maintaining equipment can all play a part.
Catherine added: “There is a hidden chain of responsibility behind every tap. “The person ordering a product, the person specifying it, the supervisor overseeing the job and the operative installing it can all influence the end result. “When systems work properly, the public never has to think about any of that. They simply turn on the tap and expect safe water to come out. “That trust depends on thousands of people doing the right thing, often completely out of sight.”
EUSR’s Products for Drinking Water scheme was developed with the water industry to improve understanding of the rules surrounding products and materials that can come into contact with drinking water. The training covers areas including approved products, instructions for use, water treatment chemicals, regulatory requirements, record keeping and when further technical guidance should be sought. It is relevant to a wide range of roles, including operatives, supervisors and managers, as well as those involved in procurement, developer services, capital projects, supply chains and consultancy.
