Private Water Supplies
The "Private Water Regulations 2009" states that water inteneded for human consumption must be wholsome. Wholesome is defined as free from microorganisms, or substances at a concentration that would constitute a potential danger to huamn health (paraphrased). Many of these substances can be removed by targeted filtration (see filtration products) or disinfection(see UV products). These methods are similar to those used for industrial water or process treatment.
Any private water supply should meet this quality standard but depending on how much water is used and if it is being used commercially (eg supplying water to a B&B) will determine how often Environmental Health Officers (EHO's) will visit and what is tested for. There is a lot more emphasis on risk assessments looking at curing problems rather than just looking at one off samples which may or may not be representative of normal conditions.
Any private water supply should meet this quality standard but depending on how much water is used and if it is being used commercially (eg supplying water to a B&B) will determine how often Environmental Health Officers (EHO's) will visit and what is tested for. There is a lot more emphasis on risk assessments looking at curing problems rather than just looking at one off samples which may or may not be representative of normal conditions.
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Wholesomeness: Microbiological Parameters (maximum number)
Escherichia coli (E. coli) 0 per 100ml Enterococci 0 per 100ml |
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Wholesomeness: Chemical Parameters (maximum concentration)
Acrylamide 0.10 ug/l
Aluminium 200 ug/l
Antimony 5.0 ug/l
Arsenic 10 ug/l
Benzene 1 ug/l
Beno(a)pyrene 0.010 ug/l
Boron 1 mg/l
Bromate 10 ug/l
Cadmium 5 ug/l
Chromium 50 ug/l
Colour 20 mg/l
Copper 2 mg/l
Cyanide 50 ug/l
1,2 dichloroethane 3 ug/l
Epichlorohydrin 0.1 ug/l
Fluoride 1.5 mg/l
Lead 10 ug/l
Manganese 50ug/l
Mercury 1 ug/l
Nickel 20 ug/l
Nitrate 50 mg/l
Nitrite 0.5 mg/l
Odour Acceptable and no change
Total pesticides 0.5 ug/l
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 0.1 ug/l
Selenium 10 ug/l
Sodium 200 mg/l
Tetrachloroethane & trichloroethane 10 ug/l
Tetrachloromethane 3 ug/l
Trihalomethanes 100 ug/l
Turbidiity 4 NTU
Vinyl chloride 0.5 ug/l
Acrylamide 0.10 ug/l
Aluminium 200 ug/l
Antimony 5.0 ug/l
Arsenic 10 ug/l
Benzene 1 ug/l
Beno(a)pyrene 0.010 ug/l
Boron 1 mg/l
Bromate 10 ug/l
Cadmium 5 ug/l
Chromium 50 ug/l
Colour 20 mg/l
Copper 2 mg/l
Cyanide 50 ug/l
1,2 dichloroethane 3 ug/l
Epichlorohydrin 0.1 ug/l
Fluoride 1.5 mg/l
Lead 10 ug/l
Manganese 50ug/l
Mercury 1 ug/l
Nickel 20 ug/l
Nitrate 50 mg/l
Nitrite 0.5 mg/l
Odour Acceptable and no change
Total pesticides 0.5 ug/l
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 0.1 ug/l
Selenium 10 ug/l
Sodium 200 mg/l
Tetrachloroethane & trichloroethane 10 ug/l
Tetrachloromethane 3 ug/l
Trihalomethanes 100 ug/l
Turbidiity 4 NTU
Vinyl chloride 0.5 ug/l
Indicator Parameters (maximum concentration)
Ammonium 0.5 mg/l
Chloride 250 mg/l
Clostridium Perfringens 0 per 100ml
Coliform bacteria 0 per 100ml
Colony counts (22C & 37C) no abnormal change
Conductivity 2500 us/cm at 20C
pH (Hydrogen ion) 6.5 to 9.5
Sulphate 250 mg/l
TOC no abnormal change
Tritium 100 Bq/l
Ammonium 0.5 mg/l
Chloride 250 mg/l
Clostridium Perfringens 0 per 100ml
Coliform bacteria 0 per 100ml
Colony counts (22C & 37C) no abnormal change
Conductivity 2500 us/cm at 20C
pH (Hydrogen ion) 6.5 to 9.5
Sulphate 250 mg/l
TOC no abnormal change
Tritium 100 Bq/l