London Branch Members and their guests recently attended an evening technical presentation at the King Henry VIII Hotel, Bayswater, at which Matthew Morse, lead technical manager at Clearwater Technology, examined the latest developments in the guidance and standards for achieving and maintaining water quality within buildings, Branch secretary and treasurer, Alan Gascoine, writes.
A member of the advisory team working on the revisions to the HSE document L8 and its associated Approved Code of Practice (ACOP), Matthew Morse discussed BSRIA and BS documentation which complements the revised L8, and BSRIA BG29/2012, detailing the importance of precommissioning cleaning of newly installed pipework. He explained that water quality is the focal point of BG29 – both during testing, and right up to practical system completion. Monitoring by regular weekly sampling, and testing before putting the system into service, would ensure that the new works were ‘fit-for-purpose’. The Clearwater speaker also discussed the new BS 8552 standard launched in February this year, which details the test methods for closed water systems.
Training of field operatives
Having carried out regular testing, Matthew Morse explained that it is necessary to have all test results audited, to ensure continued conformity; BS8550 sets out audit monitoring protocols to ensure high water quality standards are maintained. Managers of water systems must ensure that field operatives are fully trained and conversant with the sampling processes, to help negate the need for repeat sampling. The speaker also highlighted the need to regularly test automatic sampling equipment.
Desired outcome of treatment
After touching on BSRIA AG2/93, ‘Water treatment for Building Systems’, which is under revision, and gives guidance on the desired outcomes of water treatment regimes, Matthew Morse brought members up-to-date on the revisions to L8, explaining that the ‘new’ document should be published later this year.
Changes planned
Explaining the need for the revisions, he explained that the ACOP section made up a small part of the guidance, but that, with the whole of L8 seen as an Approved Code of Practice., the entire document was being used as a basis for compliance, rather than guidance. Among the changes planned are the availability of electronic versions; emphasis on good practice; more flexibility; guidance on buildings and commissioning; a new chapter 5 in respect of cooling tower packings; an examination of endoscopy techniques, and revision of cleaning regimes, with the emphasis on the duty-holder rather than the building owner. There will also be a new section on new builds – filling the system, pressure testing, and building construction, together with system management up to handover. “In summary,” he said, “a lot is the same – the main change is the format.”
Biocidal Products Directive
Finally, Matthew Morse described the revision of the EU Biocidal Products Directive, which deals with biocides used in water treatment, explaining that it was the underlying document that recently prohibited copper ionisation systems being used in water treatment systems (HEJ – May 2013). Members and guests found the subject matter both easily understood, and ably presented, and the update was fully appreciated by all present.
