Bath & North East Somerset Council - Private Water Supply Testing and Risk Assessments

Private Water Supply Testing and Risk Assessments

What is a private water supply?

A private water supply is a supply not provided by a water company, such as Bristol or Wessex Water. Approximately 1% of the population in England and Wales has a private water supply to their homes. Most private water supplies are in rural locations and are from wells, boreholes, springs or streams. In Bath and North East Somerset there are 100 private water supplies.

What is a private distribution network?

These private water supplies occur when the undertaker or licensed supplier provides a water supply to the boundary of the premises, where after the water is further distributed via a private distribution network to buildings/properties on the site. Depending on the guidance received, on how to categorise a private distribution network, the number of these is likely to be between 100 and 1000.

What are the implications of the Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009?

The Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009 cover all private water supplies and private distributions systems. They came into effect in January 2010 and look to further safeguard public health by ensuring that supplies are wholesome, meaning safe to drink.

Private water supplies are categorised into four groups:

I.      Single private dwellings.

II.      Small domestic supplies supplying fewer than 50 people.

III.   Large domestic supplies supplying over 50 people or serving commercial premises, including B&B's, food undertakers, diaries and holiday lets.

IV.    Private distribution systems where mains water is used to supply a number of properties, including caravan parks via a private network of distribution pipes.

Risk assessments and sampling requirements

The regulations require the council to carry out a risk assessment of private water supplies every five years. This involves surveying the supply to identify potential contamination from the source to the consumer's tap, identifying possible prevention measures and treatment options. This will identify which parameters need to be sampled for and the frequency of sampling. Initial risk assessments need to be complete by 2014 for all small and large private water supplies as well as private distribution systems.

For each of the following categories of supply the following actions can be expected

              I.      Single Private Dwellings: Single private dwellings will not require routine monitoring or a risk assessment. However, a sample or risk assess can be undertaken at the owners request.

           II.      Small Domestic Supplies: The amount of monitoring will depend on the outcome of the risk assessment. However, it will be a minimum of once every five years. Supplies will be sampled for five basic parameters and anything else that arises from the risk assessment.

         III.      Private Distribution Systems: Monitoring must be carried out according to the outcome of the risk assessment.

          IV.      Large Supplies or Commercial Premises: Two types of monitoring will occur on these supplies:

·          Check monitoring ensures the wholesomeness of the water, the frequency of check monitoring will depend on the amount of water used

·          Audit monitoring determines whether the water supply meets the relevant standards. The range of tests for audit monitoring is extensive and the amount of monitoring depends on the outcome of the risk assessment.

It is likely that the majority of large supplies will have two samples analysed per annum.

Private Water Supplies

Investigation and action in an event of a failure

Any sample that fails to meet the prescribed concentrations will result in the supply being investigated to try and determine the reason for this failure. If a wholesome supply cannot be achieved through implementing physical changes to the supply network, then addition or upgraded water treatment apparatus may be required.

Authorisations

We can serve an authorisation to allow failed supplies to continue whilst works are carried out to achieve compliance. Authorisations may only be granted for failures that do not constitute a health risk (usually chemical parameters). Before one is issued, consultation will be undertaken between all water users and the Health Authority. After consultation supply users will be notified of the authorisation with special advice given to those that at greater risk such as parents of babies and older people. The authorisation will be reviewed until full compliance is achieved.

Notices

In the event of failure, where a supply is found not to be wholesome, then action is sought to remedy this. An improvement notice may be served that specifies the improvements to be made to the supply, the persons who should carry out the work and when this work should be completed by. In the event of a failure that is liable to cause an immediate risk to human health then a further notice will be served that places a prohibition on the use of the supply. Failure to comply with a notice may result in prosecution in a Magistrates Court.

Appeals

Appeals can be made to the Magistrates Court or the Secretary of State depending on which notice is served.

Fees

Action required	Charge
Risk Assessment	£25 per hour (max £500)
Sampling (each visit)	£100
	£100
	£100 per sample

Residents will be invoiced for the fees once works have been completed.

Frequently asked questions

What is a commercial/large supply?

The commercial/large category includes any business that supplies water from a private water supply to the public for drinking, washing, food preparation, or where the water is used in a way that it is likely to enter the human chain (e.g. dairies washing down equipment). This category includes B&B, holiday lets, pubs, dairies and food production premises. Also within this category are domestic private water supplies that provide water to more than 50 people.

What if the supply outlet is not on my land?

The owner of the private water supply is responsible for providing safe water to the users even if the supply outlet (tap) is not on the owners land.

Can I do the risk assessment and sampling myself?

Risk assessments can only be performed by the local authority or a company the local authority has appointed and approved to act on its behalf.

The local authority is responsible for ensuring sampling is completed according to legislation, therefore if you want another company to take and analyse samples of your private water supply, the local authority will need to approve the sampling company and analysis suite prior to samples being taken. The analysis must comply with the new legislation. The local authority will need to be sent the result certificates directly from the laboratory.

Can I build up an immunity to my water as I have drunk it for years and it hasn’t done me any harm?.

People can build up resistance to bacteria, however, a wholesome supply is always required, as visitors may not have had any time to build up immunity. The young or unwell are likely to be affected the most. Studies show that children under 10 years old, whose homes have a private water supply, are nearly four times more likely to suffer from diarrhoea than other children.

Is there any financial assistance available to help me improve the quality of my private water supply?

The Council does not offer anything specifically for Private water supplies. However financial assistance for remedial works may be available for vulnerable households reliant on a failed or failing private water supply where a significant Housing Health and Safety Hazard is present. This would be through the Home improvement Assistance Scheme. If you think you may be eligible, after receiving notification of an unift supply then please contact the Housing Standards and Improvement Team on 01225 396444.

Private Water Supply Testing is part of the Public Protection Service

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