February 2015

IGN 9-02-05: Marking &

Identification of Pipework for
Water Reuse Systems

Please note following the publication of BS 1710: 2014 ‘Specification

for identification of pipelines and services’ WRAS IGN 9-02-05 is
currently the subject of a review.

For further information on current marking requirements please

contact your local water supplier. Water company contact details are
provided on our contacts page.
 February 2015

July 2014
No 9-02-05
INFORMATION & ISSUE 4
GUIDANCE NOTE

Marking & Identification of

Pipework for Water
Reuse Systems
1. Introduction

Water reuse is an accepted method worldwide for Code of practice' have been developed to both
reducing water demand. Rainwater and greywater which ensure compliance with the requirements of the
is treated wastewater from showers, baths and Regulations and the adoption of best practice.
sinks, are increasingly being collected and reused for
applications which do not require wholesome water, This information guidance note (IGN) details the
such as laundry, WC flushing and garden watering. colour coding and marking identification required to
In addition to these, other sources of water such as ensure that internal pipework and external
blackwater (recycled sewage effluent) and industrial water distribution networks conveying reused water satisfy
are being considered for reuse. the requirements of the Regulations and comply
with the appropriate British Standard. It also
The purpose of the Water Supply (Water Fittings) provides information regarding signage for storage
Regulations, Byelaws in Scotland, (hereafter referred to as cisterns and appliances.
the Regulations) is to prevent waste, misuse, undue
consumption, erroneous measurement and m o s t In exceptional circumstances local water suppliers
i m p o r t a n t l y contamination of drinking water. may be willing to accept alternatives to the
Contamination can o c c u r a s a result of recommendation made in this guidance; however
backpressure or backsiphonage, both of which can any deviation must be discussed and agreed in
cause contaminants to be drawn back up pipework advance.
into the water supply. Reused water, including that
which has been treated, is considered to be fluid
category 5 (the most dangerous of pollutants 2. Reused water systems
posing a serious health hazard) and must not under
any circumstances be allowed to come into
contact with the wholesome domestic drinking Because reused water systems are relatively new to
water supplies. the UK it is important that every effort is made to
ensure that all pipework conveying reused water is
To reduce the risk of cross-connection and immediately and easily identifiable to those who
contamination of the wholesome water supply it is come across it. It is therefore essential that,
essential that all reused water pipework is both wherever it is located, pipework distributing reused
readily distinguishable from other pipework and water is both recognisable and distinguishable from
instantly recognisable wherever it is located, for that supplying wholesome mains water. The use of
example inside a property, beneath the street, or on contrasting or different pipe materials will make this
private land. So that accidental or deliberate easier but it will not identify the nature of the
operation, that could put the wholesome supply at contents, and so irrespective of the pipe material
risk, can be avoided all apparatus such as valves used pipes must be marked and labelled to ensure
and washouts on systems distributing reused water that all pipework conveying unwholesome reused
should be suitably marked and significantly different water is distinguishable from other pipework.
from those normally used on wholesome water
distribution networks.
3. Notification
New British standards, BS 8525-1:2010 ‘Greywater
systems – Part 1: Code of practice’ and BS Water suppliers must be notified in advance and
8515:2009 ‘Rainwater harvesting systems – grant consent for the installation of reused water
 February 2015

systems in all new developments supplied with, or between pipework conveying reused water of
intended to be supplied with, mains water. different types, pressures and designated uses.
Therefore in addition to colour coding all pipework
Unless a reused water system is being installed by should also be labelled so as to clearly identify what
an approved contractor the water supplier must also is being distributed and the direction of flow (see
be notified of any proposals to install, extend, alter Figure 1). Marking and labels should be located
or modify a reused water system in non-domestic along the length of the pipework at intervals of no
premises. more than 0.5 metres as well as at key connection
points, where labels to identify each appliance and
It is recommended that the water supplier also be its water supply should be secured to the pipe.
notified of the retrofitting, alteration or modification of Where pipework is not easily exposed, such as
a reused water system in domestic property. between joists or in floor voids, marking and labels
should be applied at least once in every space or
In Northern Ireland all proposed work to be carried void (see Figure 2). Ducting conveying reused water
out on reused water systems in any premises is pipework, irrespective of location, does not need to
notifiable regardless of whether the installer is an be marked or labelled.
approved contractor or not.

4. Reused water pipework inside

buildings
So that anyone can immediately recognise pipework
conveying reused water and identify the nature of
the contents, in addition to the usual manufacturers’
specification or standard markings, reused water
pipework should be permanently marked using Figure 2: Marking and labelling of pipework in areas not
colour coded banding - this can be done either easily exposed
during manufacture or installation - and labelled.
Pipes which are insulated should be marked and In non-domestic properties labels specifying the
labelled irrespective of whether they are surface nature of the supply should be applied, within
marked or identified during manufacture. 100mm, either side of the colour coding banding. In
the case of domestic properties only one label need
In accordance with BS 1710:1984 ‘Identification of
be applied. The label should identify what type of
pipelines and services’ pipework distributing reused
reused water is being conveyed and include any
water should be colour coded with a green-black-
other relevant information (See Figure 1). Labels
green banding. The basic identification colour, green
should be either self-adhesive, wrap around or
(BS 4800:1989 12 D 45) identifies the contents as
mechanically secured to the pipe. (As some
water; the banding should be approximately 150mm
adhesives may have a detrimental effect upon
wide. The code indicator colour, black (BS
plastics it is recommended that the manufacturer’s
4800:1989 00 E 53) identifies the contents as
advice is sought before applying self adhesive
unwholesome reused water and should be
labels to plastic pipe.)
approximately 100mm in width. In domestic
properties where the pipework is likely to be smaller
In accordance with BS 8525-1:2010 and BS
the same principles apply, however the overall
8515:2009 labels should green or edged in green
length of the banding may be reduced proportionally
(BS4800:1989, colour 12 D 45) and not less than
(see Figure 1).
100mm in length. The lettering should be black
(BS4800:1989 00 E 53) and no less than 5mm in
Because there is more than one type of reused
height, in the case of large diameter pipes larger
water system, as well as colour coding reused water
labels and larger size of lettering is recommended.
pipelines it is important to be able to differentiate

Figure 1: examples of recommended marking and labelling for pipework inside buildings
 February 2015

To further reduce the possibility of any confusion 5. Reclaimed water pipework outside
regarding the nature of the supply, it is also
recommended that all storage cisterns and point of buildings or below ground
use appliances supplied by a reused water system
be identified by signage which clearly identifies that Blue pipe should not be used for external reused
an unwholesome reused water system is in use water pipework, including any below ground back-
(see Figure 3). Where labels are to be applied up supply, as this is recognised standard pipe
outdoors they should be robust and waterproof. colour used in the UK for wholesome water. Instead
it is recommended that a black plastic pipe marked
with green longitudinal stripes at the four quadrants,
in line with NJUG guidelines, as shown in Figure 5,
be used for all external pipework conveying reused
water.
The green stripes should be:-

3 to 9mm wide on pipe up to and

including 32mm OD;
5 to 12mm on pipe from 32mm up to and
including 63mm OD;
8 to 18mm on pipe from 63mm up to and
including 125mm OD;
12 to 24mm on pipe from 125mm up to
355mm OD

Figure 5: example of the colour coding recommended

for external reused water pipework
In addition to the usual manufacturers’ specification
or standard markings the pipe should also be
permanently marked so as to identify the type of
Figure 3: examples of labels for storage cisterns and point reused water it is conveying. For example pipework
of use appliances e.g. washing machines, WCs, outside taps conveying rainwater should be marked
‘RAINWATER’ (see Figure 6).
etc.

In addition to primary point of use labelling it is also

recommended that a label be attached to the
incoming stop valve or other key points so that Figure 6: example of the recommended marking for
users are aware that a reused water system has pipework installed outside buildings or below ground
been installed (see Figure 4).
The marking must be visible and legible. It is
recommended that lettering be green or white and
not less than 5mm in height. This marking should be
repeated along the length of the pipework at
intervals of no more than 0.5 metre.

Where the ground conditions mean that standard

plastic pipes are unsuitable i.e. contaminated
ground, a suitable alternative pipe material marked
or labelled may be used instead. Labels should be
applied in such a way that they will not be scratched
or detached during installation.

To assist with the identification of buried reused

water pipework it is also recommended that during
installation the pipe is laid with the lettering facing
upwards and a marker tape positioned either in the
trench directly above the pipeline or alternatively
wrapped around the pipe. The marker tape should
Figure 4: examples of labels for use at stop valve and other be green and carry a description, in black lettering,
key connection points of the supply in the pipeline below for example
‘CAUTION RAINWATER PIPE BELOW’ (see
 February 2015

Figure 7). Extra care should be taken when there are To provide additional security it is recommended
pipes in close proximity or multiple pipes in a trench. that a marker plate is fitted on the underside of the
lids on chambers housing reused water systems
apparatus.
In future, non-standard fittings may be
recommended for the wash out and valves for clear
distinction and to avoid cross-connection.

7. Collection of water for reused

water systems

Figure 7: example of the type of marker tape that should be

used Standard sewer and drainage pipes are normally
used for greywater and rainwater collection systems
Pipes conveying combined reused water should be both within and outside of buildings.
readily distinguishable from other pipework, including
that carrying solely rainwater or greywater. It is Whilst this minimises the risk of cross-connection
recommended that additional labelling or marking, with the wholesome supply there is still potential for
which identifies the precise nature of the contents, be confusion with other pipework including the risk of
applied to combined reused water pipework e.g. cross-connection with waste or foul water.
combined rain & greywater.
Such cross-connections would not only affect the
treatment of, but could also possibly contaminate
the reused water. BS 8525-1:2010 specifies that
6. Identification of washouts and collection pipework for greywater systems, including
valves on reused water distribution combined systems, such as rainwater and
systems greywater, should be labelled. Therefore
consideration should be given to the use of
Marker plates are commonly used on distribution appropriate labelling and marking using adhesive
systems to identify the location and type of labels, pipe wraps or mechanically fitted labels for
apparatus such as valves. Where the distribution of the rainwater and greywater collection pipework. It is
reused water warrants the use of such equipment recommended that the same labelling be employed
marker plates should similarly be used to identify the
for reused water collection as used for reused water
contents as well as the valve type and location.
distribution.
Rather than being prescriptive in terms of the type,
style, colour and layout of marker plates it is
recommended that reused water pipeline apparatus References
should be identified on marker plates by use of
colour coding and wording (i.e. RAINWATER in BS 8515 (2009) Rainwater harvesting systems –
black letters on a green background). An example is Code of practice
shown in Figure 8. BS 8525 (2010) Greywater Systems. Part 1. Code
of practice
BS 1710 (1984) British Standard Specification for
Identification of pipelines and services
BS 4800 (1989) Schedule of paint colours
for building purposes

Further copies and technical information may be

obtained from:

Water Regulations Advisory Scheme

30 Fern Close
Pen-y-Fan Industrial Estate
Oakdale
Gwent
NP11 3EH

Tel: +44 (0)333 207 9030

Fax: +44 (0)1495 236289

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.wras.co.uk
Figure 8: example of a marker plate incorporating an
identification plate