This year Sutton and East Surrey Water is offering its full support to WaterSafe, which is helping to re-focus standards within the plumbing sector by providing recognition for competent plumbers, as well as protecting consumers seeking plumbing work.
While the focus on World Plumbing Day is on water safety issues affecting other continents, WaterSafe are urging the water industry not to forget there are still challenges to tackle closer to home.
This is demonstrated in a recent WaterSafe study which found that a startling 70 per cent of UK householders still don’t check the credentials of a plumber before letting them commence work. Worse still, the study showed choosing a plumber is often about first impressions – more than half (54 per cent) deemed personal appearance more important than their qualifications.
Sutton and East Surrey Water has been contacted many times in the past year by customers experiencing problems with their plumbing as a result of unqualified or unethical traders. The problems varied from high levels of lead in the water from the illegal use of lead solder in recently fitted kitchens, to strange odours and discolouration of water supplies because of unsafe cross connections to boilers or hot water tanks. Some customers even found that water softeners had been fitted to their mains supply, which is contrary to legal requirements.
WaterSafe estimates bodged plumbing jobs have cost the nation a whopping £2.6 billion in recent years.
Avoid putting yourself at risk of employing a rogue tradesman by checking their credentials first. This can be done at the click of a button, so if you’re looking for a qualified local plumber, or for more information, simply visit watersafe.org.uk.