Pollution Control - water
What areas of water quality do Environmental Health Officers look at?
Private Water Supplies: For those who extract their private water supply from boreholes.
Bathing waters: to include swimming pools at leisure centres, Jacuzzi's, hydrotherapy pools.
Mains Water: To include Manufacturers of foods and drinks as well as occasionally looking at domestic supply.
Details
Private Water Supplies
Introduction: New regulations came into force on the 1st January 2010 which changed the way Local Authorities monitor private water supplies.
A private water supply is any water supply which is not provided by Veolia Water Central Limited i.e. it is not a 'mains' supply. The source of the supply may be from a borehole, a well, or a spring. The majority of private water supplies in the Hertsmere area are supplied via a borehole.
Summary of Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009 (the Regulations)
The Regulations apply to all private water supplies intended for human consumption. This means they apply to water for domestic purposes (e.g. drinking, cooking, food preparation and washing) and water used for food production purposes. These supplies include:
- Water from a well or borehole or spring, which is supplied from someone other than Veolia Water Central Limited or another Licensed water supplier, or;
- Water supplied by Veolia Water Central Limited or licensed water supplier, which is then further distributed by another person (known as a 'private distribution network'). Examples of private distribution networks are currently being published in guidance by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
The Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009 can be found on the OPSI website: The Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009
The Regulations require Local Authorities to complete a risk assessment of all private water supplies (PWS) in the first five years after the Regulations come into force except for supplies to a single non-commercial dwelling (unless a risk assessment is requested).
Responsibilities for the Local Authority
The Regulations require Local Authorities to monitor private water supplies. The Regulations provide a clear indication of the monitoring requirements from which Local Authorities can develop their annual sampling programme.
For small supplies (of less than 10m3/day) the monitoring is based on the conclusions of the risk assessment.
Larger Private Water Supplies (greater than 10m3/day), and any supplies that provide water for commercial activities, will require check and audit monitoring from the first year.
Local Authorities are required to keep records of all private water supplies including Private Distribution Systems.
By the 30th June 2010 local authorities are required to provide to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) information on all private supplies and those private distribution systems that they know to exist or that will be subject to monitoring during 2010.
By 31st January 2011 all private water supplies and private distribution systems identified by the local authority in the 30th June 2010 return, must provide details of the risk assessment undertaken and sampling data collected.
The Regulations set out procedures Local Authorities must follow if it considers a private water supply is unwholesome, including a requirement to investigate the cause and inform the private water supply user/s if the supply constitutes a potential danger to human health and give such user/s advice to allow them to minimise any such potential danger. Local Authorities are required to liaise with the Health Protection Agency to seek advice on whether there is potential danger to human health.
Where a private water supply requires improvement Local Authorities are encouraged to liaise informally with private water supply owner/users to prevent a potential danger to human health. If an informal approach does not achieve this then there are other options open to Local Authorities in the Regulations, including the serving of notices.
Local Authorities can make reasonable charges, to cover their costs for carrying out their duties under the Regulations, up to a maximum limits set out in the regulations.
Contact Us
If your home or business is served by a private water supply and is not currently registered, or you would like any further information please contact: environmental.health@hertsmere.gov.uk
General advice on private water supplies can be found at the following websites: www.privatewatersupplies.gov.uk and dwi.gov.uk/index.htm
If you have a private supply that is currently registered and would like to arrange for a risk assessment or samples to be taken please contact the Environmental Protection Team on 020 8207 7435 or email environmental.health@hertsmere.gov.uk
Bathing Waters
We have responsibility for monitoring the quality of water in swimming pools including leisure centres, private health clubs and hotels and Jacuzzi's and paddling pools.
We check that duty holders monitor waters for chemical and for microbiological quality (bacteria) on a regular basis and investigate complaints of poor water quality.
Mains Water Supply
We may occasionally become involved in the testing of domestic mains water in addition to the statutory water undertaker.
In addition, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, who are the national body for ensuring the quality of water, provide an annual publication titled 'How Good is Your Drinking Water'