• On 8^th June 2001 the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry published amendments to the Water Services Act of 1997, introducing compulsory legislation for the installation, maintenance, repair or replacement of electric hot water storage geysers, which are now required to be compliant in terms of the SABS Code of Practice for this type of work. (Refer to SANS 10254).

• Electric hot water storage geysers installed before the 8^th June 2001 do not have to comply, however should a plumber be required to work on any geyser that was installed before the 8^th June 2001, he must advise the owner in writing that he is required by law to upgrade his installation in terms of the requirements of SANS 10254, otherwise he will be guilty of a civil offence.

• It is interesting to note however that insurance companies are now advising clients to upgrade any geyser installation that was installed prior to the 8^th June 2001, the main reason for this being that in future insurance companies may no longer cover clients for damages unless the geyser installation is compliant with SANS 10254.

• Plumbing regulations for new or replacement geyser installations make it compulsory for every geyser to have safety tray installed under the geyser … the size of the safety tray is not only determined by the size of the geyser but also that it shall be large enough to catch any leaks that might occur from any of the geyser valves or ancilliary fittings.

• Each safety tray shall have a 50mm discharge pipe leading to the outside of the building preferably into an open trapped gulley, or a special waste pipe or fitting specifically designed for that purpose.

• The safety valve and pressure reducing valve on any geyser installation shall each be of the same pressure rating as the design capacity of the hot water storage geyser.

• Kindly note … metal discharge pipework from either the geyser safety valve or the pressure relief valve may not discharge into the safety tray, they shall be taken outside the building and discharged into an open trapped gulley or into a waste pipe designed specifically for that purpose.(Refer SANS 10254/2004/Item 5.2).

• Last word on geyser installations as far as plumbers and consumers are concerned, is that it is now a compulsory requirement in terms of the SBS Code of Practice for this type of work for both the hot and cold water delivery pressure in the system to be equally balanced. (Refer SANS 10254/Item 4.3.3).

Apart from geyser installation work, the Act also makes provision for the introduction of two other compulsory Codes of Practice for plumbing work as follows :

SANS 10254/Part 1 Water pipes and fittings

SANS 10252/Part 2 Above and below ground drainage

• The Water Services Act makes it compulsory for a water meter to be fitted to every dwelling, group housing development, or apartment building … (Refer Water Services Act Clause 13.2).

• A water services institution may not deliver water services to a consumer connection that is in excess of 900kpa, where this is likely to occur the municipal water services institution shall install a pressure reducing valve at the consumer connection.

• Plumbing contractors shall not be permitted to install a water pipe or fitting in a municipal area unless that material has been listed on the approved municipal material schedule. In terms of the regulations, any pipe or water fitting may be included on the approved municipal material schedule, but only if it bears the relevant SABS standards mark … (Refer to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry model byelaws in this regard).

All the above regulations should by now be part of local authority bylaws, however in cases where this has not yet been completed, the regulations published in the Water Services Act on 8^th June 2001 can be used to enforce them.

In conclusion therefore the introduction of the following SABS Codes of Practice in the Water Services Act makes it a civil offence for any person found guilty of installing non compliant plumbing work in terms of the provisions of SANS 10254, SANS 10252/Part 1, SANS 10252/Part 2.