Private Water Supplies
Private Water Supplies
Environmental Health staff deal with the sampling requirements of private water supplies as laid down in the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006. These require that, depending on the number of persons using the supply or the amount of water used, the supply is sampled at varying intervals. This can vary from once to over ten times a year.
Grants of up to £800 are available from the Council to help you improve your private water supply. This may include the installation of treatment equipment, or for the provision of a new private water supply or domestic distribution system (within the meaning of the 2006 Regulations).
The Grant Scheme is non-means tested and you may be eligible for financial assistance if:
- Your home or business is in the Borders and served by a private water supply;
- The private water supply is the main or sole source of water for human consumption purposes to these premises; and
- Your private water supply is in need of improvement to bring it up to modern standards.
If you share your supply with a number of neighbouring premises, you may wish to consider making a joint application. A joint application can be submitted in respect of all the premises served by the supply, by you and the other owners or occupiers acting together. In the majority of cases, a joint approach is likely to provide the most effective long-term solution to improve your water quality.
The cost of improving a private supply can vary hugely and there will be instances where the supply requires work that exceeds the £800 grant. In such cases, it will be your responsibility to meet the additional costs. We can provide information and advice about the Grant Scheme and help you complete the application form.
You should not start any of the improvement works before your application is approved and we have agreed that the expenditure is necessary. A risk assessment of your supply will be carried out by an Environmental Health Officer to establish the details of improvements required to conform to the Private Water Supplies (Regulations) 2006. There will be a charge for this, but it can be set against the Grant (if approved).
There are some exceptions to Grant approval, the most common being:
- New builds.
- Houses under Closing Orders, Demolition Orders or a Dangerous Building Notice.
- Empty or unoccupied premises.
Further details of these restrictions and others can be supplied upon request.
For initial enquiries regarding the Grant, or any of the information above, please contact Environmental Health or write to or phone:
Scottish Borders Council, Environmental Health, High Street, Hawick TD9 9EF
Tel No 01450 364706.
Useful link:
Unified Solutions.