Page 271 - The City and Guilds Textbook: Plumbing Book 1 for the Level 3 Apprenticeship (9189), Level 2 Technical Certificate (8202) and Level 2 Diploma (6035)

Chapter 5 Cold water systems

‘blue poly’. The minimum pipe size for modern dwellings is 25 mm. Soft copper
to BS EN 1057 R220 can also be used.

With new installations, a water meter is either fitted at the boundary to
the property or in an external Groundbreaker-type meter box. This is so the
customer does not have to be present when the meter is being read and to
prevent illegal tampering with the water meter.
Water meters inside the dwelling are usually fitted to existing water supplies.
They must be fitted between two stop taps with a drain-off valve fitted after
the meter but before the upper stop tap.

Stop valve
Drain off
valve

Meter Permanent
cross bonding

Stop valve

p Figure 5.20 Groundbreaker-type p Figure 5.21 Installation of an internal water
meter box meter

KEY POINT
From the external main stop valve is where the plumber’s involvement with
the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 begins. From here on,
everything that we do to the cold and hot water system in the building is
regulated to ensure that the water supplied is fit for its intended purpose.

Entering the property

When the water supply enters the property, it should terminate with a screw-
down stop tap/valve complying with BS 1010-2 Specification for draw-off
taps and stop valves for water services (screw-down pattern). Draw-off taps
and above-ground stop valves. The Defra guidance to the Water Supply (Water
Fittings) Regulations 1999 is very specific:
As far as is reasonably practicable:
1 A stop valve should be located inside the building; and,
2 Be located above floor level; and,
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