Drinking water safety

We’ve received some questions from customers over the last few days about their drinking water, following the news coverage of South West Water.

We have extensive measures in place, at every stage of our water treatment process, to make sure that the water in your taps is clean, high quality and above all, safe to drink.

We closely monitor drinking water quality right across our supply system. We analyse more than 40,000 samples a year from water sources, right through to your taps. These samples must meet the strict standards set out by our independent regulator, the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

To give some context of the drinking water treatment process, we take our water from the aquifers and springs within the South Downs. Before this water is supplied to homes, it is first treated to strict drinking water standards at one of our Water Treatment Works.

If necessary, we make use of specialised treatments like membrane filtration and UV technology, to remove any risk of cryptosporidium. We also carefully monitor our water sources and the catchments which supply them and carry out risk assessments at every stage of the process. These rigorous procedures and treatment methods are in place to ensure all water you receive from us is clean, high quality, and fully safe to drink.

The issues covered in the news pose no risk to customers in our supply area. South West Water is a different company, with its own separate water network. It should also be noted that the Hillhead, referenced in recent news reports, is referring to an area of Devon. It is not the Hill Head in South Stubbington.