Section 64
of Water Supply Regulations 1961 Reprinted 1999
Section 64
(1)
An earth-wire connecting an electrical installation to a water or service pipe shall be used only –
(a)
as a measure of safety for the purpose of returning to the source of supply such leakage current as may flow or result from a failure in insulation: and
(b)
for radio frequency currents and those from radio interference suppression devices.
(2)
In no case shall an earth connected be made to a distribution pipe and any such earth connection existing at the date of the coming into operation of these Regulations shall be removed and re-connected to a service pipe in the manner hereinafter specified, within three months of the coming into operation of these Regulations.
(3)
All earth connection to water mains or service pipes shall be such as to ensure an efficient electrical connection without damage to the main or the pipe and shall be made in accordance with such rules for the supply of electricity as may be in force at the time.
(4)
Earth connections to buried water mains or buried service pipes shall only be made after notice to and in a manner approved by the Water Authority.
(5)
Wherever an earth connection is made to a service pipe on any premises to which water is supplied by meter or where provision has been made for the installation of a meter, either –
(a)
the earth connection shall be made upstream of the meter; or
(b)
a proper, sufficient and suitable electric bond shall in all such cases be placed across such water mains or across the fitting where such meter is later to be installed.
This bond shall be fixed by the consumer free of expense to
Government or the Water Authority before the earth connection is made to the service pipe or, where the earth connection existed at the
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date of the coming into operation of these Regulations, such bond shall be fixed within three months of such date.
(6)
Where the Water Authority has reason to believe that damage to water mains or water pipes is being caused by an excessive flow of current from an earth connection made to a service pipe or water main, it may require the removal of the earth connection from the pipe or the main.
(7)
When premises are supplied with water from the water main or service pipes made wholly or in part of non-electrical conducting materials, the Water Authority may prohibit the earthing of electrical installations to such water mains or service pipes if, in its opinion such water mains or pipes are unlikely to form an efficient earthing medium, and existing earth connections to such mains or pipes shall be removed within fourteen days of notice of the prohibition being served on the consumer.