Private Regulated Water Supplies
The European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2023
Private Regulated Water Supplies legislation aims to ensure that the quality of water intended for human consumption is wholesome and clean, and to protect human health from the adverse effects of any contamination of water intended for human consumption.
These regulations place a requirement to register a water supply with the local authority in the following circumstances;
- Private Group Water Scheme (PGS) are set up by community PGS source, treat and distribute drinking water to their scheme members. The National Federation of Group Water Schemes (NFGWS) represents and works with the community-owned rural water services sector in Ireland. The NFGWS assists both local authorities and group schemes identify and address water quality issues and risks.
- Small Private Supplies (SPS) provide water to many rural commercial and public activities e.g., national schools, creches, holiday accommodation and premises providing food and drink. This water is often sourced from a groundwater well. Thousands of people use these supplies each day as they provide water to employees, customers, and service users.
An exemption from the requirement to register a water supply exists where the supply
(a) (i) constitutes an individual supply of less than 10 cubic metres a day on average or serves fewer than 50 persons, and
(ii) is not supplied as part of a commercial or public activity, or
(b) is used exclusively for purposes in respect of which the relevant supervisory authority is satisfied that the quality of the water has no influence, either directly or indirectly, on the health of the consumers concerned.
A water supply can be registered by completing the attached form and returning it to Waterford City and County Council at our offices either in Bailey’s New Street, Waterford or Davitt’s Quay, Dungarvan, or by emailing it to contact@waterfordcouncil.ie
Download formTesting of Private Regulated Water Supplies
Compliance Monitoring
Local Authorities carry out check and audit monitoring on SPS which are registered in their functional area. This monitoring is to ensure that the water is in compliance with the standards and indicator parameter values in the Regulations. Check monitoring is carried out relatively frequently for a limited range of parameters. Audit monitoring is carried less frequently for all the parameters including those subject to check monitoring.
Results from the most recent compliance monitoring can be found here
Operational Monitoring
Although it is not a requirement of the Regulations, it is strongly recommended that private water suppliers have a separate pre-determined operational monitoring programme to check the operation of their treatment works and distribution networks. The operational monitoring samples need not be analysed in accredited laboratories – they may be analysed in small laboratories/benches at treatment works provided the methods are properly calibrated and subject to analytical quality control.
Summary
Water suppliers must:
- Make sure their supply is registered with the local authority.
- Carry out infrastructural upgrades where required, to comply with drinking water quality standards.
- Protect the water source and address problems as they arise.
Local authorities must:
- Register all private drinking water supplies.
- Monitor all private drinking water supplies.
- Investigate supplies that fail to meet drinking water quality standards and take necessary enforcement action.