WIRS accreditation is the mark awarded under the Water Industry Registration Scheme, which allows a contractor to design, install and commission new water mains and service connections that a water company will adopt. The scheme is administered by LRQA on behalf of the water companies, and it is recognised by every water company and by Water UK. For anyone appointing a contractor to lay water infrastructure, it is the clearest independent sign that the work will meet the same standards the water company holds itself to.
If you are a developer or builder deciding who lays the water network on your site, WIRS is the accreditation to look for. This guide covers what the scheme is, how it differs from the related WIRSAE scheme, what partial and full accreditation mean for your project, and how to check a provider’s status before you appoint them. McFadden Utilities works as a WIRS-accredited self-lay provider, so it is the ground we work on every day.
What is WIRS accreditation?
WIRS stands for the Water Industry Registration Scheme. It certifies contractors, known in the scheme as self-lay organisations or SLOs, to carry out new connections to the existing water network. To become accredited, a contractor is assessed by LRQA across five areas: design, construction, connections, commissioning and project management. The scheme does not test a single job. It tests whether the business has the systems, competence and equipment to install water infrastructure to a national standard.
The value of WIRS is national recognition. Without it, a contractor would have to satisfy the requirements of 22 separate water companies one by one. With it, a single independent accreditation is accepted across the industry, which is what allows a self-lay market to exist alongside the water companies.
The scheme is run by LRQA, the assurance business formerly known as Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance. You will still see it called Lloyd’s Register on some official pages, including parts of the Ofwat and water company sites, but the administrator and the register are now LRQA. WIRS in this sense is the water scheme and is unrelated to other uses of the same letters.
WIRS vs WIRSAE: which one matters for your job
WIRS and WIRSAE are two arms of the same registration system, and they cover different work. For new water mains and service connections on a development, WIRS is the one that matters. WIRSAE sits on the retail side of the water market.
WIRS and WIRSAE compared
| Detail | WIRS | WIRSAE |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Water Industry Registration Scheme | Water Industry Registration Scheme Accredited Entity |
| Covers | Design, construction and connection of new water mains and services | Water supply disconnections and meter installation or replacement |
| Run on behalf of | The water companies | Market Operator Services Ltd (MOSL) and the water wholesalers |
| Who needs it | Self-lay organisations on new connections and developments | Providers doing accredited work for water retailers |
If your project is a new connection or a new main on a development, you are looking for WIRS. A provider may hold both, but WIRSAE on its own does not cover self-lay work.
Partial and full accreditation, and what it means for your project
WIRS accreditation is awarded at two levels, partial and full, and the difference matters when you are choosing a provider. Partial accreditation is the entry route. It is awarded when a contractor has shown LRQA the competence, method statements and safe systems of work the scheme requires, which lets them bid for and win contestable work. Full accreditation follows once they have been awarded a contract and LRQA has carried out a site assessment of that first job.
Accreditation is also granted by scope, so a provider is approved for specific types of work rather than for everything. Common scopes include mains and services design, construction of mains and services, and construction of routine mains connections. A provider might hold one scope and not another, and some scopes apply only in Scotland.
For your project this means two checks rather than one. Confirm the provider holds the scope that matches your work, and note whether they are full or partial. Partial is not a red flag in itself, it is how capable contractors enter the market, but it does mean their accreditation for that scope is still being confirmed on a live job, so it is worth knowing where they are in the process.
How to check a provider is WIRS accredited
You can check any contractor’s WIRS status yourself on the public register that LRQA maintains. It takes a couple of minutes and it is the best way to confirm a claim before you appoint anyone.
- Search the LRQA register by name. Use the find a WIRS accredited self-lay organisation tool and enter the company’s registered name.
- Read the Approval Key. The register shows whether each scope is held at full or partial accreditation.
- Match the scope to your job. Confirm the provider is accredited for the specific scope your project needs, such as construction of mains and services, rather than simply appearing on the register.
- Check the status is current. Make sure the accreditation is active and has not lapsed or been suspended.
- Confirm the water company’s own approval. The provider also has to apply to, and be approved by, the water company whose network they are connecting to.
Why WIRS accreditation matters for self-lay
WIRS is the foundation of the self-lay route. A self-lay provider designs and installs new mains and connections that the water company then adopts and maintains for the long term, and a water company will only adopt work carried out to its standards. WIRS is how that competence is demonstrated up front.
This is built into the way the market is regulated. Ofwat’s Code for Adoption Agreements sets out that a self-lay agreement can reasonably require a provider to demonstrate competence through WIRS accreditation, and the adoption of self-laid water assets sits under section 51A of the Water Industry Act 1991. For the detail on the agreement itself, see our guide to the water adoption agreement.
For a developer, the takeaway is simple. Appointing a WIRS-accredited provider keeps your scheme eligible for adoption, gives you an alternative to the incumbent water company, and means the work is being done to a standard the water company already recognises. You can read how the route works on our self-lay water services page.
WIRS accreditation: common questions
WIRS stands for the Water Industry Registration Scheme. It is the national scheme that accredits contractors to install new water mains and service connections that water companies will adopt, and it is administered by LRQA.
No. WIRS covers self-lay work, the design, construction and connection of new water mains and service connections. WIRSAE is the retail-side scheme covering water supply disconnections and meter installation or replacement. For a new connection or development, WIRS is the one that applies.
There is no single figure, because the cost depends on the scopes a contractor applies for and the assessment involved. LRQA publishes a WIRS accreditation fees document, and the total varies with how much of the scheme a contractor is accredited against. For a developer appointing a provider, the accreditation cost sits with the contractor, not with you.
Search the public register that LRQA maintains, the find a WIRS accredited self-lay organisation tool. Enter the company’s name, check the scope it holds and whether that scope is full or partial, and confirm the accreditation is current. It is also worth confirming the provider has the relevant water company’s own approval before work starts.
Yes. WIRS accreditation shows a provider has been independently assessed, but they still have to apply to the water company whose network they are connecting to and receive permission before work can begin. Accreditation is the entry requirement, not the final sign-off.
