Water mains as earth provision

[bengasman]

When was the practice of using the watermains as primary earth provider abolished?

Is it legally possible to have a property today where the water mains is still the only source of earth?

Do you still find situations where this is the case?

Am I correct in thinking there is no legal way in which additions or alterations of the wiring have been carried out ( including meter/cut out changes ) since then without providing proper earth?

Please only answer any of the questions if you are absolutely sure of it, because this is part of a CYA exercise.

The reason for it is that a RGI recently got sentenced for something that he left in good working order, was made unsafe by cowboys.
The court's reasoning was that he should have made it more difficult for cowboys to fiddle with it.

I know it is hard to believe, but is a documented case; I've got names and places.

 

[riveralt]

When was the practice of using the watermains as primary earth provider abolished?

Cannot give you a specific date - others probably can - around mid 60's. It was linked to the time that the water supply pipes changed to plastic.

Is it legally possible to have a property today where the water mains is still the only source of earth?

Yes it is - Reg 542.2.4 - A metallic pipe for gases or flammable liquids shall not be used as an earth electrode. The metallic pipe of a water ultility supply shall not be used as as an earth electrode. Other metallic water supply pipework shall not be used as an earth electrode unless precautions are taken against its removal and it has been considered for such use. This would probably be a private water supply.

Do you still find situations where this is the case?

Where 542.2.4 applies -very rarely - where the water supply is used as the earth yes quite frequently.

Am I correct in thinking there is no legal way in which additions or alterations of the wiring have been carried out ( including meter/cut out changes ) since then without providing proper earth?

I personally will not work on a system that does not have main protective bondings etc in place - Reg 131.8 - whether or not its illegal is another issue since we are obliged to leave the existing installation no worse off then the way we find it and homeowners are not obliged to upgrade.

 

[ricicle]

Iirc, 1966

 

[Paul_C]

It was indeed the 14th edition of the IEE Wiring Regs. in 1966 which finally removed the water supply pipe as being permissible as the sole means of earthing. There were warnings about the increasing use of plastic pipes before then, however. Here is the appropriate extract from the 13th edition, as amended to December 1963:

409 Where in accordance with Regulation 406 protection against dangerous earth-leakage currents by means of a fuse or overload circuit-breaker is admissible, the means of earthing shall comply with one of the alternative methods set out in Clauses (A)-(C) below:

{.....}

Or (C) The earthing-lead shall be connected, at a position as near as practicable to the consumer's terminals, to an effective earth electrode buried in the ground, for example a metal water-pipe system having metal-to-metal joints (see Appendix E) or to a copper strip or rod. Connection to a water-pipe shall be made as near as practicable to its point of entry into the ground. A gas pipe shall not be used as an earth electrode.

NOTE.- Attention is drawn to the increasing use of non-metallic water-pipes and mains, which cannot be used for earthing.

Here's the equivalent extract from the 14th edition, 1966:

D.34 Where, in accordance with Regulation D.22, protection against dangerous earth-leakage currents by fuses or excess-current circuit-breakers is admissible, one of the following methods of earthing shall be employed:

{.....}

(ii) Where a means of earthing has not been provided by the supply undertaking, the consumer's earthing terminal shall be connected by the earthing lead to an effective earth electrode or electrodes, such as copper strip or rod, which shall be buried in the ground at a position as near as practicable to the consumer's earthing terminal and shall satisfy the tests specified in Appendix 6. Neither gas nor water pipes, separately or jointly, shall be used as the sole earth electrode of the installation.

Of course, the IEE Wiring Regs. (now BS7671) have never been a statutory requirement, so as far as legalities are concerned, that's a rather different matter.

 

[bengasman]

Of course, the IEE Wiring Regs. (now BS7671) have never been a statutory requirement, so as far as legalities are concerned, that's a rather different matter.

It's the Electricity at Work act you will be done under; bs7671 only provides the details of how they will nail you if you get caught.

 

[sparkwright]

Still occasionally find properties with this arrangement. Have also visited a property just after the old mains pipe had been replaced, and sections of the old pipework had been removed.

Clearly the possibility that the water pipe was used as a main earth was not considered by the people who removed it. The question is should they have known that the pipe may have been used as the main earth?

There was a trend in the 90s to distribute leaflets to houses warning about houses earthed in this way.

On a similar note there are many plumbers out there who happily cut out earth cables.

 

[bengasman]

On a similar note there are many plumbers out there who happily cut out earth cables.

That is definitely in violation of GSIUR.

 

[sparkybird]

yes - my 90 year old neighbour was earthed in this way - I discovered it when some robbing plumbers told him that all his lead water pipe was illegal and had to be replaced with plastic - they just left the earth clamp dangling and rode of the the scrappy's with the lead slung over the back of their ponies... GRRRR

 

[bengasman]

Burried?