Not Drinking Water Sign

Not Drinking Water Sign

Ships carry water for many purposes besides drinking, including ballast, cooling, wash-down, fire main supply and technical or grey water systems, and a tap or outlet that looks identical to a drinking water point can in fact be unsafe to consume. A not drinking water sign is fitted at any outlet, tank or tap where the water is not certified potable, warning crew, passengers, contractors and visitors not to drink from that source even though it may appear clean and accessible.

Following the ISO 7010 prohibition format, this not drinking water sign uses a red circular band and diagonal bar over a black pictogram of a tap or glass, set on a white background. The universal graphic means a not drinking water sign is understood immediately by a multinational crew, catering staff, or a passenger unfamiliar with the vessel’s plumbing layout, without needing to read text printed in any particular language.

Where to Install This Prohibition Sign

Common locations include technical water taps in engine rooms and workshops, deck wash-down points, ballast and cooling system sample cocks, non-potable tanks used for firefighting or cleaning, and any outlet plumbed from a source other than the vessel’s certified fresh water system. AS 1319 calls for prohibition signage to be positioned exactly where the hazardous action might otherwise be taken, so a not drinking water sign should be fixed directly at the tap or outlet itself, not on a nearby wall where it could be mistaken for referring to a different fitting.

Safety Sign Hub produces this not drinking water sign in a rigid, fire-retardant photoluminescent material that charges under ambient lighting and remains visible for hours after a power failure, useful in engine spaces and technical compartments where lighting can be intermittent even during normal operations. A glowing not drinking water sign stays legible in these lower-light working areas where it is most often needed.

Ordering by IMPA and ISSA Code

Ship chandlers and marine catering suppliers typically order this signage against IMPA code 33.8505 or ISSA code 47.585.05, ensuring the correct pictogram and format are supplied when reprovisioning a galley area, technical space or new-build fit-out. Referencing the code removes any ambiguity when a not drinking water sign is being ordered alongside other catering and hygiene signage for a vessel.

Safety Sign Hub supplies this not drinking water sign to Australian-flagged vessels, marina operators, catering contractors and shore facilities with non-potable outlets near public or crew areas. For general guidance on safety signage obligations in Australian workplaces, see Safe Work Australia. Fitting a clear, durable not drinking water sign at every non-potable outlet is a simple step that protects crew and passenger health without requiring any change to the vessel’s plumbing.

Galley staff and hotel service teams onboard passenger vessels should be briefed on exactly which taps carry a not drinking water sign, since new crew joining midway through a contract may not otherwise know which outlets are safe for food preparation. Reviewing outlet labelling whenever plumbing is modified or a tank’s certified use changes keeps this sign accurate and prevents an outdated notice being relied upon in error.

Port health and food safety auditors inspecting a vessel’s galley and catering stores will often specifically check that any non-potable connection is clearly marked, and a missing or faded label can be raised as a finding even where the plumbing itself is perfectly safe once correctly identified. Self-adhesive and rigid mounting options both resist the humidity typical of engine rooms and wash-down bays, so the label stays legible and firmly fixed rather than peeling away after repeated contact with water or cleaning chemicals over months of continuous service at sea.

Browse our full range of prohibition signs for more IMO-compliant maritime safety signage.