Private water supplies

A private water supply is one which is not provided by a water company. The water may come from a spring, well, borehole, pond, river, stream, rainwater harvesting, or a private distribution system.

Types of private water supplies

Single supply:

serves a single property
produces less than 10m³ of water (or supplies less than 50 persons), and
not used commercially or for public premises.

Small supply:

serves two or more properties
produces less than 10m³ of water, and
not used commercially or for public premises.

Large supply:

serves 50 or more people, or
produces more than 10m³ per day of water, and/or
used for commercial purposes or is a public premise

Private distribution system:

mains supply which is further distributed by someone other than a water company

What are my responsibilities if I own or manage a private water supply?

All private water supplies need to be registered with Horsham District Council. Dependent on the type of supply, you may also require a risk assessment and sampling.

To register your supply or request a risk assessment, please email ehl@horsham.gov.uk or call 01403 215641.

Risk assessment

All small supplies, large supplies, and private distribution systems require a risk assessment to be undertaken. This involves a site visit to identify the risks (potential failures of standards and risks to human health) and to take action to control those risks. This is carried out by the council every 5 years.

The risk assessment will also assist in identifying which additional parameters, if any, need to be sampled when testing the water supply.

Sampling

Samples will normally be taken from a consumer tap and sent for analysis at a UKAS approved laboratory. The sampling frequency and the extent of analysis needed will depend on the results of the risk assessment.

Large supplies are required to undergo regular 'check monitoring', as well as more extensive 'audit monitoring' on a less frequent basis.

Small supplies are monitored at least once every five years and more frequently if shown to be necessary by the risk assessment.

Single supplies will only be risk assessed and tested at the request of the owner or occupier. However, single supplies must still register with us, so the private water supply can be placed on the public register.

In the event of a sample failure, where a supply is found to be 'unwholesome' or a 'risk to human health', a notice may be served prohibiting or restricting the supply or requiring certain work to be carried out.

Further guidance on the Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 is available on the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) website.