Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Vale of White Horse District Council

Water overview

Water supplies

A clean supply of drinking water is an essential public health requirement. Within the Vale, most people receive mains drinking water but some people are on private water supplies from wells and boreholes. In general terms a private water supply is any water supply which is not provided by a water company. It is not a "mains" supply.

The owner or the person who uses the supply is responsible for repairing and maintaining it. A private water supply may serve just one property, or it could be a network of pipes serving several properties. The water may come from a spring, well, borehole, pond or a stream.

Legal controls for private water supplies

There are legal standards set for private water supplies to control quality under the Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991.

The Council has a legal duty to test private water supplies in accordance with the requirements of the regulations. Therefore the Council has an ongoing sampling programme which meets all the different criteria. Sample results are given to those persons responsible for private water supplies.

If tests show that water from a private supply does not meet the quality standards, the Council may insist that the private supply is improved. In certain cases the Council is entitled to recover the costs involved.

Problems with public drinking water supplies

Drinking water should be clear and bright. If it looks cloudy or discoloured, or tastes different or smells funny then contact your water company.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate investigates all incidents and may take action to make a water company put things right.