Drinking water infrastructure must perform reliably while meeting strict public health and environmental standards and protecting the quality of the water it contains. From reservoirs and tanks to treatment facilities and sewer systems, materials used in these environments need to be suitable for contact with drinking water while also delivering the performance required for demanding service conditions.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), publicly supplied drinking water serves more than four million people in Ireland, with 99.8% of public water supplies meeting microbiological and chemical drinking water standards in 2025. While overall water quality remains high, the EPA identified 35 water treatment plants where drinking water supplies could be at risk due to treatment or operational deficiencies.1
In addition, challenges such as ageing infrastructure and network leakage remain significant, with the EPA reporting that 36% of treated water is lost daily through leakage across the water supply network.
Protecting and extending the service life of drinking water assets through appropriate waterproofing, repair, sealing and anchoring systems remains an important consideration for owners and operators. Sika supports designers, contractors and owners with proven solutions that help protect critical water infrastructure and keep essential services running.
1Environmental Protection Agency (2025) 'Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies'
What is WRAS Approval?
The Water Regulations Approval Scheme (WRAS) is an ISO 17065 accredited certification body for products and materials used in contact with drinking water. WRAS approval demonstrates that products have undergone rigorous testing against relevant water quality and regulatory requirements to ensure they meet strict standards for quality, safety and performance. Selecting WRAS approved products can therefore help support both water safety and the long-term performance of repair, refurbishment and building works of drinking water infrastructure.
How do WRAS Approved Products Help Protect Drinking Water Infrastructure?
Protecting water quality through material selection
Waterproofing membranes, joint sealants, repair materials, adhesives and anchoring products can all potentially come into contact with drinking water.
Using products that have been tested and approved for drinking water applications helps provide confidence that the specified material is suitable for its intended use. For example:
Sikalastic®-6100 FX is a waterproofing mortar for water-retaining structures, including drinking water applications. It has WRAS Approval No. 2109538. It is also designed to provide waterproofing and concrete protection, with a 2 mm coating resisting up to 5 bar of water pressure.
Sikasil® DW is an acetoxy-curing silicone sealant specifically designed for joints in contact with potable water. It is suitable for applications including drinking water reservoirs, tanks, treatment plants and filtration plants, and has WRAS Approval No. 2203515.
Supporting the durability of concrete infrastructure
Water-retaining structures are exposed to continual moisture, water pressure and conditions that can contribute to deterioration of concrete and reinforcement. Refurbishment and protection systems therefore play an important role in maintaining existing assets.
Sikalastic®-6100 FX combines waterproofing with concrete protection. Its high resistance to carbon dioxide diffusion helps protect concrete from reinforcement corrosion, while its elastic properties provide static and dynamic crack-bridging capability. Sikalastic®-6100 FX is also as sulphate resistant and suitable for areas constantly submerged in water.
For concrete repair, Sika MonoTop®-1010 provides reinforcement corrosion protection and acts as a bonding primer. Sika MonoTop®-1010 also has WRAS approval No. 2305560 for refurbishment and repair applications with compatible Sika repair mortars.
Sealing joints and cracks in water-retaining structures
Joints and cracks can be particularly important areas to address when maintaining the watertightness of drinking water infrastructure. The specified sealing system needs to accommodate movement while maintaining waterproof integrity of the structure.
The Sikadur-Combiflex® SG System combines high performance joint sealing tape with Sikadur® epoxy adhesive. The system is designed for joint and crack sealing and has WRAS Approval No. 240355034 when using the correct system components. The system also offers crack-bridging capability and is suitable for a range of water infrastructure including hydroelectric power plants, sewage treatment plants, water-retaining structures and drinking water reservoirs.
Sikadur®-31 DW can also be used for repairing and reprofiling corners, edges, holes and voids, as well as filling and sealing joint arrises, crack arrises and non-structural static cracks. It is WRAS approved No. 2305546 and provides high mechanical strength, resistance to abrasion and good adhesion to a range of construction materials.
Safe and reliable anchoring
Fixings and anchors can also form part of drinking water infrastructure, particularly when equipment or components need to be secured to concrete substrates.
Sika AnchorFix®-2+ is a styrene-free anchoring adhesive for medium to high loads and carries WRAS Approval No. 250655052. The product is suitable for cracked concrete, can be used in wet or damp holes, and is non-sag even for overhead applications. It has a compressive strength of approximately 70 N/mm² and tensile strength of approximately 15 N/mm² after seven days under the stated test conditions on the Product Data Sheet.
Build drinking water infrastructure with confidence
Repair and refurbishment materials for maintaining drinking water infrastructure must be appropriate for their intended contact with potable water and capable of delivering the required technical performance.
Sika's range of WRAS approved products covers applications including waterproofing, refurbishment, sealing, bonding and anchoring. From Sikalastic®-6100 FX for waterproofing and concrete protection to Sikadur-Combiflex® SG for joint and crack sealing, Sikasil® DW for potable water joints, Sikadur®-31 DW for structural bonding and Sika AnchorFix®-2+ for anchoring, the range provides solutions for different stages of drinking water infrastructure construction and refurbishment.
By considering both regulatory suitability and the specific performance requirements of each application, engineers and contractors can make more informed material choices and help maintain the safety, watertightness and structural performance of drinking water assets.
Always consult the local Product Data Sheet for the exact product data and uses.
Our Range of WRAS Approved Products
WRAS Approval Number: 2109538
WRAS Approval Number: 240355034
WRAS Approval Number: 2305560
WRAS Approval Number: 2203515
WRAS Approval Number: 2305546
WRAS Approval Number: 250655052
Need Support with Your Drinking Water Project?
Selecting the right products for drinking water infrastructure can depend on the specific application, substrate, service conditions and project requirements. Sika’s technical experts can provide guidance on product selection and specification to help identify the most appropriate system for your project.
Contact Sika’s technical team by filling out the form below for project and product specification support.
