Private Water Supplies & Drought
It is wise for the 1% of people in the country on a Private Water Supply to be vigilant about their water supply during droughts.
Private Water Supplies can be varied and water sources can be from groundwater, surface water, springs or a mixture of sources. The Environment Agency and water companies issue advice usually in drought situations that will contain information regarding groundwater levels and river levels that may affect your private water supply.
With increased demand on water supplies you may find some localised issues with some supplies such as spring fed supplies or old wells that are very deep and your supply may become interrupted.
Domestic private supplies should be regularly serviced and maintained and part of that service and maintenance if possible should be checking the source of the water, this is not always possible with some supplies but those wells, boreholes and collecting wells that can be checked safely for depth of water should be inspected to ensure there is adequate supply to meet the premises needs. If it is not possible to check the source of the water be vigilant for any changes in the water supply and ensure a source of bottled water is available at all times should your supply become interrupted at all.
Those commercial companies with private water supplies should ensure that they have a plan in place to cover any interruptions to their supplies and be prepared.
Advice can be sought from the Local Authority and local water company should your supply become insufficient.
For Local Authority advice in Worcestershire contact Worcestershire Regulatory Services on 01905 822799 or emails enquiries@worcsregservices.gov.uk
The local water company for Worcestershire is Severn Trent Water - 0800 783 4444
Further sources of information are:
Drinking Water Inspectorate:
Visit the Drinking Water Inspectorate website, or Tel: 0330 0416501 or e-mail: dwi.enquiries@defra.gov.uk
Any health related issues please contact your local UK Health Security Agency Health Protection Team:
West Midlands HPT
UK Health Security Agency
23 Stephenson Street
Birmingham
B2 4BH
Telephone: 0344 225 3560 (option 2)
For medical advice or information:
Contact your GP or NHS Direct. You can get help from NHS 111:
• by using 111 online
• in the NHS App
• by calling 111