Considering a home purchase with a personal water source? Essential information for you to understand
In the United Kingdom, private water supplies play a significant role in supplying water to homes, particularly in rural areas. These supplies, categorised into four main types, are primarily sourced from wells, boreholes, springs, or rainwater harvesting systems, and are not connected directly to a public water company.
Maintenance and Management of Private Water Supplies
To ensure safety and compliance with the Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009, regular maintenance is essential. Key actions include:
- Regular Risk Assessments: Assessing the entire supply system from source to tap, identifying potential risks like contamination, infrastructure weaknesses, or environmental hazards.
- Water Quality Testing: Testing for pathogens and contaminants to ensure the water remains safe for drinking, cooking, and washing.
- Cleaning and Disinfection: Regular cleaning and disinfection of wells, storage tanks, and treatment units to prevent microbial buildup.
- Maintenance of Physical Infrastructure: Inspection and repair of boreholes, pumps, pipes, and storage tanks, as well as protection of source areas from contamination.
- Registration and Reporting: Registration of private supplies with the local council and regular reporting to ensure local authorities can perform risk assessments and enforce regulations.
- Additional Treatment (if needed): Implementing water treatment systems (filtration, UV, chlorination) depending on water quality results.
Focus on Maintenance per Supply Type
- Single private dwellings: Periodic testing on request or as risk dictates, with basic infrastructure upkeep the responsibility of the owner.
- Small supplies (<50 people): Regular risk assessments and sampling mandated, more frequent testing, and treatment if needed, shared between the owner and local authority.
- Larger private supplies: Formal monitoring programs, frequent testing, and infrastructure upgrades required, with oversight from regulatory bodies.
- Private distribution systems: Ensuring safe distribution beyond the water company supply point, with infrastructure and system monitoring crucial, is the responsibility of the distribution system operator.
Importance of Private Water Supplies
Because approximately 1% of the population in England and Wales relies on such supplies, these measures are critical to public health. Potential buyers should ask the seller or estate agent about the local authority risk assessment, testing results, and any necessary improvement works. It's important to have a solicitor with experience in dealing with private water supplies.
Lenders may require confirmation from the solicitor that the water quality is good, regularly tested, and that there are no issues with maintenance. Less than 1% of houses in England and Wales have a private water supply. The responsibility for certain costs associated with private water supplies may vary depending on location.
In England, all abstraction of water requires an abstraction license, unless the amount taken is less than 20 cubic meters a day. Water from a private water supply needs treatment to ensure it's safe for drinking. Private water supplies can come from wells, boreholes, springs, streams, rivers, lakes/lochs, reservoirs, springs, and canals.
In Scotland, 3% of the population relies on private water supplies. It's recommended to commission a specialist additional survey for properties with private water supplies. Buyers should ensure they have the legal authority to take the water they need from a private water supply.
Regular testing of private water supplies is recommended to ensure it remains safe to drink. Ask about water treatment systems, maintenance records, and any past issues with water quality or quantity. Mortgage applications for homes with private water supplies can be more complex and may take longer.
If the water supply is shared, find out about maintenance and repair arrangements and cost division. It's crucial to be informed about the maintenance requirements and potential costs associated with private water supplies when buying a property.
- Owners of single private dwellings in the United Kingdom should periodically test their water supply or as risk dictates, with basic infrastructure maintenance being their responsibility.
- For small supplies serving fewer than 50 people, regular risk assessments and water quality testing are mandated, with both the owner and local authority sharing the responsibility.
- Larger private water supplies require formal monitoring programs, frequent testing, and oversight from regulatory bodies, with infrastructure upgrades being necessary.
- Private distribution systems should ensure safe distribution beyond the water company supply point, with infrastructure and system monitoring being crucial.
- When investing in a home with a private water supply, it's important for potential buyers to discuss the local authority risk assessment, testing results, and maintenance records with the seller and their solicitor, as lenders may require confirmation of good water quality and regular testing.
