WIAPS (Water Industry Approved Plumbers Scheme)

WIAPS, the Water Industry Approved Plumbers Scheme, was a long-running UK accreditation scheme for plumbing businesses competent to work in accordance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. The scheme was operated by individual water companies including Thames Water in Greater London until consolidation into the Watersafe umbrella scheme. Many existing certifications remain valid and are commonly referenced in older specifications and contracts. Practical implications for homeowners include recognising that a contractor described as WIAPS approved is regulated under the same underlying competence framework as a current Watersafe registered plumber. New registrations and current applications are made through Watersafe. The formal underlying reference remains the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. Recent specifications increasingly reference Watersafe directly rather than the legacy WIAPS brand.