Private water supplies
Our responsibilities
The Water Industry Act 1991
requires that local authorities, like North Devon Council, check the
quality of private water supplies.
The Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991cover how we carry out this function, including:
Our responsibilities
The Water Industry Act 1991
requires that local authorities, like North Devon Council, check the
quality of private water supplies.The Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991
cover how we carry out this function, including:- how often we must take a sample of water from a private supply (based on categorisation of supplies)
- what tests we must carry out
- how much we can charge for taking the sample and testing the water
Background
Private water supply
In general terms a 'private water supply' is any water supply which is not provided by water company. It is not a 'mains' supply. No water rates are paid for these supplies although the person who owns a supply may make a charge. There are no laws controlling the charges or other conditions connected with private supplies. The owner or person who uses the supply is responsible for repairing and maintaining it. Private supplies are commonly used in the rural parts of North Devon.
A private water supply could serve just one property or it could be a large supply with a large network of pipes supplying water to many properties. The water may come from a spring, a well, a borehole, a pond or a stream.
The water can be sent to the user by channels, land drains, pipes and tanks or it may even just run over the ground. A combination of these methods may be used.
Quality standards for water
Good quality water is very important to everyday life. Every house must have a good supply of clean, fresh water for it to be fit for occupation. Water is at risk of being contaminated from everything that it comes into contact with.
To make sure that water used in the home and for producing food is of the high quality that is needed to protect public health, the government has set legal quality standards which all water used for drinking, washing and cooking or used in businesses which produce food or drink must meet. Private supplies are more likely to be contaminated because they are more vulnerable to infection, and are not treated to the same standard as public supplies
Water supply categorisation
Each private water supply is categorised based on usage - e.g. how many people are using the supply and the amount of water used.
Private water supply
In general terms a 'private water supply' is any water supply which is not provided by water company. It is not a 'mains' supply. No water rates are paid for these supplies although the person who owns a supply may make a charge. There are no laws controlling the charges or other conditions connected with private supplies. The owner or person who uses the supply is responsible for repairing and maintaining it. Private supplies are commonly used in the rural parts of North Devon.
A private water supply could serve just one property or it could be a large supply with a large network of pipes supplying water to many properties. The water may come from a spring, a well, a borehole, a pond or a stream.
The water can be sent to the user by channels, land drains, pipes and tanks or it may even just run over the ground. A combination of these methods may be used.
Quality standards for water
Good quality water is very important to everyday life. Every house must have a good supply of clean, fresh water for it to be fit for occupation. Water is at risk of being contaminated from everything that it comes into contact with.
To make sure that water used in the home and for producing food is of the high quality that is needed to protect public health, the government has set legal quality standards which all water used for drinking, washing and cooking or used in businesses which produce food or drink must meet. Private supplies are more likely to be contaminated because they are more vulnerable to infection, and are not treated to the same standard as public supplies
Water supply categorisation
Each private water supply is categorised based on usage - e.g. how many people are using the supply and the amount of water used.
- category 1: a supply which is only used for drinking, washing and cooking by people who live in the properties, which get the supply
- category 2: a supply, which is used to make food and drink that will be sold, or is used in properties which different people live in at different times of the year
Generally speaking the more people who use the supply the more often and the more detailed the tests have to be. Supplies used for producing food generally have to be tested more frequently and strictly than domestic supplies.
To contact the Customer Service Centre:
Telephone: 01271 388870
For Typetalk: precede with 18001
Fax: 01271 388451
Email: customerservices@northdevon.gov.uk
Textphone (callers must have Typetalk compatible equipment; this number does not support voice communication or SMS): 01271 388786 (during our normal working hours)
Web form: send us a web enquiry
Our office hours are 8.30 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.
For further information see the Environmental Health service contact page
