NSF Ends UK’s Three-Year Testing Gap with REG 31 Testing Designation

Oakdale, Wales – NSF, a leading global organisation dedicated to protecting human health, today announced that it is now a Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) designated laboratory for Regulation 31 (REG 31) product testing. This positions NSF’s Oakdale laboratory as the only facility in the United Kingdom capable of delivering both BS 6920 and REG 31 testing services, effectively closing a three-year gap in the nation’s drinking water safety infrastructure that has affected hundreds of manufacturers and water suppliers.

Since 2023, the UK has faced a significant challenge due to the absence of a leachate testing laboratory. This gap has created a bottleneck in the REG 31 approval process, resulting in a backlog of hundreds of product approval applications and forcing repeated extensions of existing certificates without the requisite testing, potentially compromising water safety and hindering innovation in the market.

“NSF’s full REG 31 testing ability represents a significant advancement for drinking water safety,” said Vincent Boks, Vice President, Water at NSF. “For the past three years, manufacturers and water suppliers have struggled with limited testing capacity, creating unnecessary risks and delays. Our comprehensive in-house capabilities will help manufacturers navigate the REG 31 approval process, while ensuring the highest standards of public health protection for the 55 million people served by public water supplies in England and Wales.”

REG31, established under The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016, mandates that all materials and products in contact with public drinking water, from source to property boundary, meet stringent safety standards. Compliance is compulsory for all UK water companies, making REG 31 approval essential for manufacturers operating in this sector.

NSF’s Oakdale facility, accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards, is among the world's largest specialised water testing laboratories. It offers manufacturers a single partner for all required testing for REG 31, including BS 6920 testing as a precursor requirement before seeking full REG 31 approval, along with a wide range of UK-specific and European approvals, conducted entirely in-house by experienced engineers and scientists.

“Recent enforcement actions, including a £1.42 million fine for REG 31 violations, highlight the critical importance of compliance in protecting public health and maintaining industry integrity,” said Simon Hubbard, Senior Director, Global Laboratories at NSF. “Our investment in Oakdale’s REG 31 capabilities reflects NSF’s commitment to delivering rigorous, reliable testing solutions that mitigate regulatory and reputational risks. By restoring full REG 31 testing capabilities to the UK, we enable manufacturers to confidently meet compliance requirements, safeguard water quality and help drive innovation forward.”

NSF’s REG 31 services address key market challenges, including regulatory complexity, laboratory capacity limitations, and financial and reputational risks from non-compliance. The services cover all relevant product categories, including pipes and fittings, coatings and linings, tanks and reservoirs, treatment chemicals, filter media and membranes, and cements, resins, and repair materials.

Manufacturers seeking REG 31 testing services are encouraged to contact NSF immediately at [email protected] to initiate the approval process.

NSF is an independent, global services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing human health for more than 80 years by developing public health standards and providing world-class testing, inspection, certification, advisory services and digital solutions to the food, water and wellness products industries. NSF has 40,000 clients in 110 countries and is a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety and Water Quality.

Source

¹ Water Magazine, 19 May, 2025. Anglian Water fined a record £1.42 million for using unapproved materials in drinking water tanks that compromised water supply