This guide is intended to assist those who live in a house that has a private water supply, or who are contemplating moving into property served by a private water supply. It is specifically written for those who do not have any knowledge of the water supply systems. The safety of drinking water is paramount and owners of private water supplies will be keen to ensure that their drinking water is safe for the family and visitors. This guide will help owners to understand their system and to protect the quality of their supply. It also provides information about the regulatory background and the role of the Local Authority and will assist owners in dealing with organisations that provide treatment installation and maintenance services.

Published May 2010

This Guide is intended to assist those who live in a house that has a private water supply, or who are contemplating moving into property served by a private water supply. The Guide is specifically written for those who do not have any knowledge of the water supply systems and it provides authoritative information in non-technical English.

The safety of drinking water is paramount and owners of private water supplies will be keen to ensure that their drinking water is safe for the family and visitors. The majority of private water supplies are contaminated from time to time during the year. Unlike mains water, which is reasonably constant in quality, the quality of water in a private water supply can be changeable and the supply system needs to be regularly checked to ensure that it remains safe. This Guide will help owners to understand their system and to protect the quality of their supply. It also provides information about the regulatory background and the role of the Local Authority and will assist owners in dealing with organisations that provide treatment installation and maintenance services.

This Guide provides an introduction to: –

• The different types and sources of private water supplies, their legal status and a review of problems that may be encountered in their use.
• The purpose and design of the different parts of the supply and treatment system and how to protect the system from contamination.
• Common contaminants that affect the quality of water in the supply, the limits that are set on contaminant levels to protect health and the treatment systems that are used to remove contaminants.
• The regulatory background, including a summary of the specific regulations that apply in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
• The role and responsibilities of the local authority and what customers can expect from their local authority.

The Guide also contains a checklist for householders, answers to some frequently asked questions and a list of sources of information and organisations that can provide assistance.