Private water supplies
We are responsible for monitoring private water supplies within South Cambridgeshire. These are supplies not from a mains supply, such as:
- boreholes
- wells
- springs
We monitor these supplies for bacteria and chemicals. This helps to make sure that water is fit for drinking, cooking and washing.
We do not provide water to homes with a private water supply, we only monitor the water supplies.
If you are concerned about a private water supply or would like more advice then email commercial.envhealth@scambs.gov.uk
If you are currently using a Private Water Supply and would like further information on connecting to a mains supply, please contact Cambridge Water directly.
Risk assessments
We carry out a risk assessment of all large and/or commercial supplies at least once every 5 years. This comes under the Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 (as amended).
This is an assessment of the water source, water treatment and distribution system to identify potential sources of contamination of the water supply. This helps to prevent and address potential issues in order to reduce water contamination risks. A risk assessment is not required for single properties under the regulations, but it can be requested by the owner.
Sampling
The sampling frequency and type depends on the size and nature of the supply. Large commercial supplies may be sampled several times a year, and small domestic supplies may only be sampled once every 5 years.
Costs
We recover costs for undertaking the risk assessment and sampling. We do not make a profit on its sampling.
We employ the services of an independent sampler who is suitably accredited (UKAS ISO/IEC 17025). Maximum charges are laid out in the legislation.
Private Water Supply Questionnaire
Use our private water supply questionnaire to tell us of a new or existing borehole, or to update your details.
Perfluorooctane Sulphonate (PFOS)
As reported in the media during February 2022, a chemical called PFOS was found in the Duxford aquifer. This aquifer is a source of drinking water utilised by Cambridge Water who have removed this source from their mains water supply. More information on this can be found in the report by Cambridge Waters.