Pollution Control - water
Environmental Health
What areas of water quality do Environmental Health Officers look at?
| Service ID: | 660 |
|---|---|
| email: | ehadmin@staffordbc.gov.uk |
| telephone: | 01785 619402 |
| sms: | 07781 471023 |
| fax: | 01785 619319 |
| complaints: | welcome.asp?id=2505 |
To make an online request for information please click here
Will the Council test the drinking water in my home?
Does the Council check the quality of mains water?
Does the Council check the quality of water drawn from private supplies?
Will the Council test the drinking water in my work place?
I am concerned about the water quality in the pool at my gym will the Council sample the water?
Private Water Supplies: For those who extract their private water supply from boreholes, wells or other sources not supplied by a water undertaker.
Bathing waters: to include swimming pools at leisure centres, Jacuzzi's, hydrotherapy pools.
Mains Water: To include Manufacturers of foods and drinks as well as occasionally looking at domestic supply.
Details
Private Water Supplies
We have a number of domestic and commercial private water supplies where we are the responsible authority for monitoring their quality both microbiologically (bacteria) and chemically (e.g. pesticides).
The legislation we use is made under the Water Industry Act 1991 and is called the Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991.
This tells us what the standards of the water should be and how often we have to test the water depending upon its use.
Bathing Waters
We are responsible for checking the quality of all our swimming pools to include leisure centres, private health clubs, hotels and outdoor pools, hospital hydrotherapy pools, Jacuzzi's and paddling pools.
We check these on a monthly basis for chemical levels as well as yearly for microbiological quality (bacteria) unless there is a complaint or a problem with the chemical tests, in which case the frequency will be increased.
Mains Water Supply
We also examine the quality of the mains water of our food manufacturers to include breweries and other food industries. We may occasionally become involved in the testing of domestic mains water in addition to the statutory water undertaker.
In addition, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, who are the national body for ensuring the quality of water, provide an annual publication titled 'How Good is Your Drinking Water'
FAQ
Will the Council test the drinking water in my home?
If your water is supplied by a water company (e.g. Severn Trent Water) you should contact them first. If you are not happy with their response then the Council can take water samples from your home. If the water to your home is not supplied from the water mains the Council will take samples of the water, in certain circumstances we may make a charge for this. TOP
Does the Council check the quality of mains water?
No, not routinely. The Drinking Water Inspectorate do this and publish reports. The Water companies do have a duty to keep the Council informed about the water quality in the area. The Drinking Water Inspectorate check that the water companies comply with this requirement.
Does the Council check the quality of water drawn from private supplies?
Yes. The Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991 require us to have a sampling programme for these supplies. The Regulations set the standard the water must attain, the frequency of sampling and what we test for. TOP
Will the Council test the drinking water in my work place?
Yes, if the Council is responsible for health and safety regulations at the work place. In other circumstances we may refer you to the Health and Safety Executive. If the work place manufactures food we may take water samples as part of our duties under food safety legislation. TOP
I am concerned about the water quality in the pool at my gym will the Council sample the water?
Yes, we will investigate your concerns and taking a water sample may form part of this work. TOP
Where can I find out more about water pollution?The Water Pollution Guide web site has useful information about the sources of water pollution and how they can be treated. To visit this site click here.