Types of private water supply

There are four main types of private water supply.

Category	Description	Testing
Single domestic dwelling	One home, no business use	On request
Small supply	Serves fewer than 50 people or less than 10m³ of water per day	Every 5 years
Large or business supply	Serves more than 50 people or used for business	Every year
Private distribution	Water from a company shared with others (for example caravan parks)	Based on risk

We test private water supplies to check for:

bacteria
chemicals
metals

Testing frequency depends on the type of supply. Risk assessments are usually done every five years.

Sampling and risk assessment costs

Charges depend on the type of supply and the level of risk.

We charge for:

collecting and analysing routine water quality samples
carrying out risk assessments
any extra investigations or authorisations

Each visit also includes a separate sampling charge.

How charges are set

The cost of monitoring and analysis depends on the outcome of the supply’s risk assessment. We recover the full cost charged by the laboratory we use.

If we carry out a risk assessment, investigation, or issue an authorisation, we will charge additional fees.

Charges for testing and risk assessments
Service	Cost
Sampling (each visit)	£118
Risk assessment	£84.50 per hour
Investigations (each investigation)	£118

Private water supply fails routine sampling

If your water fails a test:

you’ll be told what went wrong
you may need to boil water or stop using it
you’ll get advice on how to fix the issue
you may receive a legal notice to make improvements

Improvement notices

If your supply is unsafe, we will issue a notice explaining:

why the water is unsafe
what actions are needed
how long you have to fix it

We will work with you and offer advice to help you meet the necessary standards.

You have the right to appeal for up to 28 days from the date the notice was served.

Email service disruption

Private water supplies