National Water Hygiene

What is the National Water Hygiene scheme?

Our National Water Hygiene (NWH) scheme which is also known as a ‘Blue Card’ plays a vital part in ensuring the protection of public health and promoting good water hygiene practices. The scheme has been developed in collaboration with all UK water companies.

UK water companies require individuals entering clean water sites or working on the clean water network (known as ‘Restricted Operations’), to hold a National Water Hygiene EUSR registration.

It’s not just water company employees. If you are working on a ‘Restricted Operation’ on behalf of a water company subcontractor or other organisation, such as Self-Lay Organisation (SLOs) – then you also need a National Water Hygiene EUSR registration.

Modules

This scheme comprises the following modules:

• Module 1: The importance of water
• Module 2: Water as a carrier of disease
• Module 3: Potential contamination and its consequences
• Module 4: Preventing contamination

Delivery Model

This scheme can be delivered using any of the three following models:

• 2023 NWH (Face-to -face) training 
• 2023 NWH (Remote / e-Classroom) training
• 2023 NWH (e-Learning / e-Assessment) programme

Assessment

All NWH training is assessed through a multiple-choice question test containing 25 questions.

Registration

Completing a National Water Hygiene training programme and assessment results in an EUSR registration for three years.

The face-to-face and remote / e-Classroom training is delivered live, by approved trainers either in person or virtually using online software. All Trainers delivering National Water Hygiene must be approved by us and have appropriate and recent water industry experience and competence – as well as training or assessment qualifications and experience. Our ongoing quality assurance, through monitoring and audits, ensures high quality training and a very positive learning experience.

e-Learning (with associated e-Assessment), is accessed via our XAMS e-Learning portal. The content and usability of the programme is carefully reviewed and approved by our quality assurance team. E-Learning offers a flexible and cost-effective way to achieve an EUSR registration.

Health Screening

A health screening questionnaire must be completed by all individuals prior to the training and assessment. In this questionnaire, you must declare whether you have, or have had in the preceding 12 months, any of these illnesses:

• Typhoid
• Paratyphoid
• Dysentery
• Persistent diarrhoea or vomiting
• Jaundice or Hepatitis (A or E)
• Prolonged unexplained fever

If you have, or have had, any of these illnesses, then you must get written confirmation from a medical practitioner, for example your GP, that you are illness and symptom free before you can be registered for National Water Hygiene on EUSR.

Renewal

When your National Water Hygiene (“Blue Card”) EUSR registration has expired, you will need to renew it by re-taking the training and assessment, either face-to-face, e-Classroom, or e-Learning & e-Assessment – this will depend on whether you are directly employed by a water company and also the approval status of the Trainer.

CITB Short Course

Energy & Utility Skills is a recognised Approved Training Organisation (ATO) for CITB and the UK construction industry. Our National Water Hygiene scheme is recognised by CITB for short course duration funding. If you are a Levy paying employer, to find out more about these grants, click here.

Resources

Become a Trainer

If you are a trainer and would like to deliver this scheme, please contact us.

e-Learning Providers

Below is a list of e-Learning Providers for National Water Hygiene. You can view all of our approved trainers here.