BS 8680:2020 Water quality. Water Safety Plans. Code of practice
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The British Standards Institution (BSI) is the UK National Standards Body (NSB). British Standard BS 8680:2020, Water quality. Water safety plans. Code of practice, came into effect on 31 May 2020. It is available to purchase from the BSI shop.
[edit] WHO’s WSP guidance
In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) published Water safety in buildings. This report offers guidance specific to water safety in buildings with the adoption of water safety planning (WSP), which it defined as ‘A comprehensive risk-assessment and risk management approach that encompasses all steps in water supply, from catchment to consumer.’
Recommendations in the WHO WSP report have been applied throughout the world and are supported by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) of England and Wales.
In its efforts to ensure the quality of water supplied up to the point of use, the WHO report recommends three components of a WSP, which were integrated into BS 8680:2020 Water quality. Water safety plans. Code of practice:
- Assessing the system to determine whether the provider as a whole can deliver water of a sufficient quality. What systems are present? Where are they? Who uses them?
- Monitoring control measures in the supply chain that are of particular importance in securing water safety. How should this be monitored? When should it be inspected?
- Adopting a management approach that describes the actions to be undertaken from normal conditions to extreme events and relays how they will be communicated to the various stakeholders. Who is responsible? What decisions are made?
[edit] BS 8680:2020 scope
In addition to the WHO WSP guidance, the BS 8680:2020 code of practice integrates some specifics encountered in UK legislation and regulations (and therefore goes beyond the simple legionella risk assessment encountered in most buildings and workplaces). It also cross references BS 8580-1:2019 Water quality. Risk assessments for Legionella control. Code of practice, which deals with the risk assessments for Legionella.
BS 8680:2020 looks at all water systems, assessing their risk, monitoring the identified mitigation measures for those risks and outlining the implementation of an adequate management scheme.
The standard is designed to be used by anyone involved in ensuring water is safe and fit for purpose at the point of use. This includes those responsible for:
- Design and specification.
- Construction and installation.
- Commissioning.
- Maintenance.
- Operation.
- Alteration and refurbishment.
- Deconstruction.
As indicated by the intended audience of the standard, its guidance covers the entire lifespan of a building - from conception and design to alteration or decommissioning.
[edit] Related articles
- British Standards Institution BSI.
- Back to the workplace: are you prepared?
- Drinking Water Inspectorate.
- Legionnaires' disease.
- Ofwat.
- Planning for water safety in buildings and workplaces.
- Water safety plan WSP.
[edit] External resources
Featured articles and news
Local leaders gain new powers to support local high streets
High Street Rental Auctions to be introduced from December.
Infrastructure sector posts second gain for October
With a boost for housebuilder and commercial developer contract awards.
Sustainable construction design teams survey
Shaping the Future of Sustainable Design: Your Voice Matters.
COP29; impacts of construction and updates
Amid criticism, open letters and calls for reform.
The properties of conservation rooflights
Things to consider when choosing the right product.
Adapting to meet changing needs.
London Build: A festival of construction
Co-located with the London Build Fire & Security Expo.
Tasked with locating groups of 10,000 homes with opportunity.
Delivering radical reform in the UK energy market
What are the benefits, barriers and underlying principles.
Information Management Initiative IMI
Building sector-transforming capabilities in emerging technologies.
Recent study of UK households reveals chilling home truths
Poor insulation, EPC knowledge and lack of understanding as to what retrofit might offer.
Embodied Carbon in the Built Environment
Overview, regulations, detail calculations and much more.
Why the construction sector must embrace workplace mental health support
Let’s talk; more importantly now, than ever.
Ensuring the trustworthiness of AI systems
A key growth area, including impacts for construction.
Foundations for the Future: A new model for social housing
To create a social housing pipeline, that reduces the need for continuous government funding.
Mutual Investment Models or MIMs
PPP or PFI, enhanced for public interest by the Welsh Government.
Key points and relevance to construction of meeting, due to reconvene.