Criteria for: Efficient Showers, Auto Shut Off Showers

Auto Shut Off Showers

To be eligible for inclusion on the Water Technology List the device must meet the following criteria:

Show evidence of compliance with the following sections of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999:

• Part II Requirements – Paragraph 4 ‘Requirements for water fittings etc’
• Schedule 2 – Requirements for water fittings, paragraph 2 ‘Materials and substances in contact with water’
  Note: This would be demonstrated by approval through WRAS (or equivalent independent product certification body) or a declaration that all non-metallic materials in contact with the water comply with BS 6920
• Schedule 2 – Requirements for water fittings, paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 ‘Requirements for water fittings’
  Note: This would be demonstrated by approval through WRAS (or equivalent independent product certification body) or a declaration of compliance with the following regulators’ specifications
  6001.1 - Identification
  1111.1 – Closure test (watertightness)
  1112.1 – Porosity test (pressure resistance)
  1113.1 – Joint effectiveness (mechanical strength)
  1211.14 – Endurance test (mechanical endurance of shower shut off valves)
  1211.21 – Endurance test (mechanical endurance of solenoid valves)

Compliance with the regulations may be demonstrated by approval through WRAS.   Alternatively companies accredited to ISO 9001 may provide a declaration of conformity with the Regulations. All automatic shut off showers must also meet the following requirements:

Hydraulic Characteristics - when tested using test apparatus generally in accordance with BS 6340-4:1984 the measured flowrate shall not exceed 9 litres/minute under pressures up to the maximum operating pressure specified by the manufacturer or at pressures up to and including 5 bar where no maximum is specified.

If a flow regulator is required for the showerhead to limit the flow to 9 litres/minute at 5 bar dynamic pressure, the showerhead and the flow regulator must be sold as one product.

Automatic Shut off showers fall into two categories:

Electromagnetic systems
 
This is defined as a complete shower set (or equivalent) consisting of the following parts: the showerhead, rail or holder, a flexible hose or fixed riser pipe and a shut off valve linked to an electromagnetic sensor. There are two types of electromagnetic sensor systems:

• Presence detection systems should only operate when user presence is detected and water should stop in any instance of failure of the detection system.  The flowrate must be terminated within three seconds of user departure.
• Time flow operated showers must allow the user to turn on the flow through the sensor device and the flowrate must be terminated after a maximum of 2 minutes.

Mechanical and pneumatic push systems

This is defined as a complete shower set (or equivalent) consisting of the following parts: the showerhead, rail or holder, a flexible hose or fixed riser pipe and a mechanical or pneumatically operated shut off valve.  The system must allow the user to turn on the flow through the mechanical or pneumatically operated shut off valve and the flowrate must be terminated after a maximum of 2 minutes.

Manufacturers should apply to Defra with evidence that their products meet these criteria in order to appear on the Water Technology List.