What is a private water supply?
A private water supply is any water supply which is not provided by a water company and not considered to be a main supply.
Private water supplies can pose a potential risk to health unless they are properly protected and treated. You may not be able to tell whether your water is safe as contamination may not show as smell, taste or colour of the water.
Private water supplies can be obtained from a variety of sources including:
- springs
- wells
- boreholes
- rivers and streams
- lakes or ponds
The Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 (As amended) are concerned with the wholesomeness of water obtained from private supplies and require us to sample and analyse the water from these supplies.
Under section 77 of the Water Industry Act 1991 we have a duty to check the quality of all water supplies within our area.
Further guidance on private waters supplies can be found on the Drinking Water Inspectorate website: http://www.dwi.gov.uk/private-water-supply/users/relevant-person.html