Everyone can recognize an appliance that is safe regarding to backflow by this certificate and the related Water-safe device mark. The Kiwa Domestic Water Safety Certificate also provides information on the supplier/producer and where you can lodge complaints with the supplier or Kiwa. Buyers, inspection bodies (water companies), installers, advisors and the supervisory body and you as a supplier/producer attach great importance to the quality and inspection of backflow protection to exclude the risks as much as possible.
What does the Kiwa Domestic water Safety Certificate mean?
Polluted substances must not be able to flow back from the appliance into the drinking water system. Backflow is possible in the event of overpressure in the appliance (backpressure) or underpressure in the drinking water system (backsiphonage). That is why the Safety Certificate specifically relates to the part of the appliance taken from the protection device(s) in the appliance up to the point were it is connected to the drinking water system. So it concerns the part of an appliance which is in direct contact with the drinking water. The Kiwa Domestic Water Safety Certificate is based on the following standards:
- NEN-EN 1717 ‘Protection against the pollution of drinking water in water systems and general requirements for devices preventing backflow pollution';
- NEN 1006 ‘General requirements for tap water systems (AVWI)’;
- Kiwa Evaluation guidelines for backflow protection;
- Water worksheet 3.8 ‘Security devices for (dangerous) appliances’.
Widely supported safety
A Board of Experts comprising representatives from the water companies, the installation sector and the manufacturing industry records the safety requirements for every type of appliance. This Board of Experts, analyzes the possible risk for every appliance on the basis of the internationally accepted Montout risk analysis method (described in NEN-EN 1717). Kiwa ensures that all stakeholders can rely on it that appliances delivered with the Kiwa Domestic Safety Certificate have been provided with more than adequate protection based on the analysis.
Benefits
The Kiwa Domestic Water Safety Certificate entitles suppliers to provide their products with the Kiwa Water-safe device mark. This mark enables users and monitoring and inspection bodies to see at one glance that an appliance can be safely and directly connected to a drinking water system. Without discussions and delays in completion and with a reduction in liability.
Other benefits are:
- Uniform connection: your appliance can be directly connected to drinking water systems in both The Netherlands and most European countries.
- Wide acceptance: the acceptance of appliances with a safety mark is promoted, as water companies see to this when carrying out inspections. And the installer does not have to ask himself whether the appliance meets the current requirements when connecting it to the drinking water system directly.
- Increased efficiency: the backflow preventing part of your appliance can be series-produced in one version. The different requirements which individual water companies may use for the connection of appliances will largely disappear.
- Time-saving: in the event of modifications to appliances, you can discus the influence on possible safety hazards with just one discussion partner and also implement these if they are accepted.
- Better image: you can boost your image with a safety certificate, as it will highlight the safety and quality of your product. This will also enable you to further improve your market position, even internationally, because Kiwa is also a well-reputed certification company abroad.
- Fewer risks: the chances that you will be held liable for drinking water pollution will strongly decrease.