Private water supply

About 30 of the water supplies are known as “Regulated” - they supply large numbers of residential properties, with greater than 50 occupants, or commercial premises which include workplaces, food factories and rented houses. The remaining 20 or so supplies provide water to owner occupied domestic properties.

Private supplies are managed and maintained by the owners of the properties they serve. 

You can find out more information about management, treatment and the role of the Local Authority and the Scottish Government regarding use of private water supplies on the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland website.

Council services for private water supply users

The Council's Environmental Protection Team deal with private water supplies. We sample “Regulated” supplies at least once a year to ensure their safety for public use, acting where necessary to secure improvements to failing supplies, provide advice and follow up cases of waterborne disease or contamination in a supply. If your supply is “Unregulated” you can request for a water sample to be taken – this is often required for a house sale or where a person using a an unregulated supply wishes to know more about the water quality. In some cases, a small grant may be available to assist with any identified improvements.

Private water supply grant application form

The Team provides the following information to a private supply user:

• Water samples
• Financial aid
• Advice or Knowledge on the supply

Water samples

We can take and submit water samples for bacterial and chemical analysis. This assesses the quality of the water and provides information on whether the water is safe for human consumption. The taking of samples is a chargeable service - please email us for more information.

Financial aid

A risk assessment/inspection can be carried out to identify if improvements can be made to the supply. These improvements may be eligible for a Scottish Government funded grant if the quality and or quantity of the water is improved. Find out more about please contact us.

Contact

Contact the Environmental Protection team for more information or advice on supply management and possible sources of contamination. Please provide your full name, address and details of the service required.

We can can also give advice on supply management and possible sources of contamination.