Private supplies require "keen focus"

Private water supplies in England and Wales require "keen focus" with 4.5% of English supply tests failing to met drinking water standards with the figure in Wales at 6.1%. The findings emerged in the recently released Drinking Water Inspectorate's annual report of 2015.

Both figures demonstrated and improvement on the 9.6% of tests failing in 2010 when reporting for private supplies began in England and Wales.

The overall figure for public water supply compliance to the Drinking Water Directive was 99.96% in England and Wales. Challenges identified by the DWI in England and Wales included source protection; inadequately treatment works; and, retained risks in domestic distribution systems. Metaldehyde levels was a challenge specific to England while cyptosporidium was a particular issue in Wales according to the DWI.

The inspectorate called on water companies, regulators and stakeholders to work together to reduce these challenges.