Water board inspection

Re: Water board inspection

karen jones — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 08:08:43 GMT

We have very hard water here, I filter all my water at home and still need to de scale kettle. Tea without the filter looks like soap scum on top. We almost ruined the dental machine until we got a water distiller.

Re: Water board inspection

Rob Loxley — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 22:45:11 GMT

[quote user="Eamon McAllister"]If you buy a professional Miele and have it properly installed you won't break it. Mine is still going strong after 12 years of hard use.[/quote]

Hard water is a killer for all plumbed appliances...

Re: Water board inspection

Bob Russell — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 15:53:36 GMT

[quote user="Eamon McAllister"][quote user="karen jones"]Going get Miele washing machine on contract as we always seem to break them so didn't want to buy outright. They're a lot more expensive than normal domestic. Water board seem happy with that! Now waiting for visit from whichever department deal with waste water . I always hope they don't turn up during lambing time

[/quote] Contract will be very, very expensive in the long run. If you buy a professional Miele and have it properly installed you won't break it. Mine is still going strong after 12 years of hard use.

[/quote]

Some reconditioned ones on ebay with enough warranty to give you a fighting chance! There are cheaper brands as well:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Maytag-10KG-LOAD-Commercial-Washing-Machine-INCLUDES-VAT-/281132642578?pt=UK_Irons_Presses&hash=item4174cfb112

for example!

Re: Water board inspection

Eamon McAllister — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 14:39:32 GMT

[quote user="karen jones"]Going get Miele washing machine on contract as we always seem to break them so didn't want to buy outright. They're a lot more expensive than normal domestic. Water board seem happy with that! Now waiting for visit from whichever department deal with waste water . I always hope they don't turn up during lambing time

Re: Water board inspection

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 10:02:15 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Alex Allen"]we had to ensure waste water from developers was appropriately treated (silver traps etc) before entering the sewage system and that the water entering the machine either came from a header tank with a minimum 20mm (or > twice the inlet pipe diameter) air gap and/or a double check valve in the pipe supplying water to the machine.[/quote] My X-ray developer is fed from the mains and the water from the wash goes straight to the sewers, the water board inspector was happy with that.

[/quote]

Only because you had him tied to your surgical table when he tried to serve you that improvement notice. Don't you think the maniacal laughter and sharpening butcher knives was a bit over the top?

Re: Water board inspection

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:42:05 GMT

Bob - it's all over the top. You can put human sanitary waste in a domestic dustbin with no issues. A dog turd from your surgery has to go into vet waste streams, but the same turd from home goes into the domestic dustbin. The room we have the washing machine in was converted about 20 years ago and a header tank was a requirement then.

Re: Water board inspection

Bob Russell — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:36:27 GMT

What a shame none of these people are able to do a sensible risk assessment. Rather jobsworth.

We have an amazing LG washing machine that sings to us so would hate to see that go!

How is a washing machine that different to a toilet cistern? The water is sprayed onto washing powder from above (air gap etc) and never comes in contact with any contaminated washing. Seems a bit over the top to me!

Re: Water board inspection

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:32:25 GMT

Re: Water board inspection

karen jones — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 19:32:40 GMT

Going get Miele washing machine on contract as we always seem to break them so didn't want to buy outright. They're a lot more expensive than normal domestic. Water board seem happy with that! Now waiting for visit from whichever department deal with waste water . I always hope they don't turn up during lambing time

Re: Water board inspection

Bob Russell — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 11:33:44 GMT

Pre-digital days we had an environment agency visit and they stopped us putting any X-ray waste (after silver trap) until we had a certificate from the water board.

The water board had told us that this was not required as the volumes were so small. It was only when we got a letter from Southern Water confirming this that the Environment Agency stopped being silly!

Where is the common sense when you need it? There is nothing a veterinary practice produces that is a significant health risk to man nor beast beyond that of a domestic residence.

Re: Water board inspection

Alex Allen — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 09:56:10 GMT

You've been lucky not to have been inspected previously. This issue about veterinary practice's water supply and waste water is actually nothing new. Nearly 10 years ago when I worked in the xray industry we had to ensure waste water from developers was appropriately treated (silver traps etc) before entering the sewage system and that the water entering the machine either came from a header tank with a minimum 20mm (or > twice the inlet pipe diameter) air gap and/or a double check valve in the pipe supplying water to the machine.

If you check you outdoor tap it should have a double check valve fitted by law - it may be integral to the tap nowadays. All toilets should be fed via a header tank.

Risk of water contamination is split into 5 categories - 1 being "wholesome" water , 2 being "tainted" but safe to drink - the water in a hosepipe attached to an outdoor tap is an example all the way to category 5 which is risk of biological contamination - washing machines in a vet practice.

This is a guide published by WRAS in 2002 that may help (there may be an updated version now)

www.wras.co.uk/PDF_Files/Water%20&%20Wastewater.pdf

BE CAREFUL - don't antagonise the local water authority as they could impose a fines, push for criminal proceedings and if they feel the risk of your premises contaminating the water system is too severe they have the power to disconnect you instantly.....

All waste water from vet practices is under review and local authorities may push for some form of treatment process before it enters the common sewage system at your expense so smile sweetly and offer the inspector a cup of tea

Re: Water board inspection

Sammy82 — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 19:35:31 GMT

Didn't know there were special regulations in place for washing machines at the surgery. It makes me wonder what the water board would think about me washing my water proofs at home before we had a machine at work? (I always ran an empty 90C cycle afterwards). And I still wash my personal clothes at home, even if they have cow sh** or worse on them.

Re: Water board inspection

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 16:16:21 GMT

I had an inspection last year, the washing machine is inside the practice house and so he never got in there! But did want a lid on a header tank that was 10 cm from the ceiling which was thereby almost a lid in itself, demanded an air gap ie head tank for the water supply to the dental table and wouldn't believe me at first that it was already plumbed that way because his 'scientific assessment was that he could tell there was too much pressure by just sticking his thumb over the end of the tap! I told to go and sing on that one and send someone to prove it wasn't plumbed correctly if he didn't believe me (he conceded on that). He then inssted on having a non-return valve on the outside tap which is only ever used to fill a dogs drinking bowl and water the hanging baskets. How he thought this would blow back and contaminate the public water supply beats me but he has to justify his existence.

Re: Water board inspection

Linda Filshie — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 20:40:49 GMT

I've got to say that I'm disappointed. After reading the title of this post I was expecting to hear that the RCVS had got a little more hard line in its inspection protocol! 😓

Re: Water board inspection

James Laidlaw — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 08:54:48 GMT

Our practice just went through all this with Thames water. Looked complicated and overly thorough - to the point of the sinks needing plugs in when running, so when your hands are nice and clean thanks to our automatic taps, you then reach through the dirty water to unplug the sink!!! Ludicrous. Anyway I think we got a Miele or similar washing machine too as the "old" one wasn't up to standards.

Re: Water board inspection

Rob Loxley — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 00:56:03 GMT

We have a Miele professional washer which complies and is suited to the heavy use it gets

Re: Water board inspection

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 23:37:52 GMT

Our 'garage' is fed from a header tank as we wash down in there after sheep caesers. The washing machine is in there and fed from the header tank. Double check valves on hoses even if fed from a tank.

Thought this was common knowledge. A load of bollocks, but common knowledge.

Re: Water board inspection

karen jones — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 23:23:31 GMT

Very official paperwork , badges etc. apparently they can stop you trading if you don't comply

Re: Water board inspection

Mark Hedberg — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 23:21:16 GMT

Hotpoint from Comet. Looked a bit like the one I had at home, except mine was an Indesit. (Bog standard washing mashine, basically. No header tanks or fancy plumbing. It was in a shed outside the building because it wouldn't fit inside the building.)

I suppose the inspector knew someone who could sort you out? (were they really from the water board?)