Local Authority Environmental Health departments are responsible for implementing the regulations and investigating the causes of unwholesome supplies. They may serve notices to ensure remedial actions are taken to restore the water quality and protect human health, and they may prosecute in the event of a serious breach.
The Regulations require Local Authorities to complete a risk assessment of all private water supplies by January 2015. Supplies to single non-commercial dwellings are exempt (unless a risk assessment is requested).
A private water supply risk assessment includes:
- Description and location of the source supply and catchment area
- Details of extraction license limits and average consumption
- Information regarding the properties and people supplied
- Analysis of previous sample results
- Inspection of intermediate, holding, and header tanks
- Security at the source
- Assessment of potential for contamination at the source or within the distribution network