Design and Construction Specification for United Utilities - Version 1.5 - Issue Date 04/10/24

Oct 24, 2026

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Design and Construction Specification for United Utilities (Version 1.5, issued 04/10/24) provides a mandatory template for planning, designing, constructing, and commissioning self-laid mains and service pipes supplying domestic and industrial/commercial properties. It defines scope, responsibilities, terminology, charging, and abbreviations, and sets out processes for connection requests, contestability activities, design submissions, and drawing standards. It covers pipe sizing methodology, water main and service pipe construction principles, metering, firefighting water provisions, commissioning tests, and key contacts, with version-controlled appendices and material schedules.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages37

Reading Time1 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Change log

1. Scope

2. Responsibilities

3. Terminology

4. Charging

5. Abbreviations

6. Nomenclature

7. Reference Documents

8. Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM)

9. Design Process

10. Pipe Sizing Methodology

11. Water Main Design and Construction Principles

12. Service Pipe Design and Installation

13. Civil Engineering Considerations

14. Metering Requirements

15. Water for Firefighting

16. As Laid (As Constructed) Drawings

17. Self-Laid Main and Services Commissioning

18. Water Company Key Contacts

19. Local Practices

20. Design and Construction Specification Appendices

21. Schedule of Permissible Materials and Construction

22. Meter and Service Pipe Policy and Installation

23. Standard Arrangement Drawings

24. Construction Pre-Start Meeting Agenda

Design and construction specification for United Utilities Version: 1.5 Issue Date: 04/10/24 Design and Construction Specification for United Utilities 2 Contents Change log 3 1. Scope 4 2. Responsibilities 4 3. Terminology 4 4. Charging 4 5. Abbreviations 5 6. Nomenclature 5 7. Reference Documents 5 8. Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM) 6 8.1 General 6 8.2 Collaborative Design 6 8.3 Non-Contestable Work – Installation of District Meter or Pressure Reduction Equipment 6 9. Design Process 7 9.1 Minimum Information Required from Developers 7 9.2 Point of Connection (PoC) Requests 7 9.3 Annual Contestability Summary 7 9.4 Activities shaded green in the ACS 9 9.5 Activities shaded amber in the ACS 9 9.6 Activities shaded red in the ACS 10 9.7 Design Submissions to Water Company 10 9.8 Design Proposal 10 9.9 Drawing Standards 11 9.10 Drawing Legend 12 9.11 Design & Construction Variations 12 10. Pipe Sizing Methodology 12 10.1 Permitted Pipe Diameters, Pressure Ratingsand Permissible Materials. 12 10.2 Principles of Sizing of Water Mains 12 10.3 Indicative Pipe Diameter Selection 13 10.4 Domestic Hydraulic Demand Calculations 13 10.5 Calculations for Multi-Occupancy Building and Industrial and Commercial Domestic Use 14 10.6 Process Water 14 10.7 Pressure and Flow 14 10.8 Selection of Materials for Contaminated Ground 14 11. Water Main Design and Construction Principles 15 11.1 Design Accreditation 15 11.2 Construction (pre-start) 15 11.3 Routing and Positioning Principles 15 11.4 Depth of Self-Laid Main 16 11.5 Mains Fittings 16 11.6 Controlling Valves and Valve Operation 17 11.7 Washout and Fire Hydrants 17 11.8 Air Valves 17 11.9 District Metered Areas and Boundary Valves 17 11.10 Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Considerations 18 11.11 Double Spade Valves 18 11.12 Rights of Access 18 12. Service Pipe Design and Installation 18 12.1 Routing, Positioning and Location 19 12.2 Depth of Services 19 12.3 Sizing of Services 19 12.4 Location of Boundary Boxes 20 12.5 Supplies to Multi Occupancy Buildings 20 12.6 Services to Multi Storey Buildings 20 12.7 Additional Requirements for Supplies to Buildings Other Than Domestic Dwellings 21 13. Civil Engineering Considerations 21 13.1 General 21 13.2 Marker Tape and Tracer Tape 21 13.3 Indicator Posts and Marker Plates 21 13.4 Chambers and Covers 21 13.5 Bedding and Backfill 21 13.6 Reinstatement of Highway 21 13.7 Ducts 22 14. Metering Requirements 22 14.1 Standard Domestic Metering for Individual Dwellings and Multi Occupancy buildings 22 15. Water for Firefighting 22 15.1 Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) Consultation 22 15.2 Location and Flow from Hydrants 22 15.3 Dedicated Fire Mains 23 15.4 Fire Sprinkler Systems 23 16. As Laid (As Constructed) Drawings 23 17. Self-Laid Main and Services Commissioning 24 17.1 Mains Flushing 24 17.2 Not used 25 17.3 Mains Bacteriological Sampling 25 17.4 Pressure testing of Self-Laid Main 25 18. Water Company Key Contacts 26 19. Local Practices 26 19.1 Meter Pairing and Commissioning 26 19.2 Timing of the Generation of Plot Reference Numbers 27 19.3 Water Company Design Service Offerings 27 19.4 Design Self-Certification Scheme 27 20. Design and Construction Specification Appendices 27 21. Schedule of Permissible Materials and Construction 27 21.1 Permissible Materials 27 21.2 Service Connection Arrangements 28 22. Meter and Service Pipe Policy and Installation 29 22.1 Routing, Positioning and Installation (Mains) 29 22.2 Routing, Positioning and Installation (Services) 32 22.3 Meter Arrangements for Multi Occupancy Buildings 32 23. Standard Arrangement Drawings 33 24. Construction Pre-Start Meeting Agenda 33 Version: 1.5 Issue Date: 04/10/24 ©United Utilities Water Limited 2024 Design and Construction Specification for United Utilities 3

FAQs

What is the purpose of this specification template?

It assists practitioners with planning, designing, constructing, and commissioning a self-laid main and service pipes to supply domestic and industrial/commercial properties. It is mandatory in its template contents, with controlled variation between water companies.

How do water companies handle variations from the template?

The template indicates where there is scope for variation. Each water company completes those parts and publishes a company-specific version on its website, which governs requirements in its area.

Which key technical topics are covered in the document?

It covers the design process and submission requirements, pipe sizing methodology, water main and service pipe design and installation principles, civil engineering considerations, metering requirements, firefighting water provisions, and commissioning activities such as flushing, sampling, and pressure testing.

Oct 24, 2026

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