Energy & Utilities

Water supply: compliance checklist

Use this checklist to confirm your water collection, treatment and supply business (SIC division 36) meets its obligations. Work through the workplace items every business shares, then the water industry regulatory duties. If you answer no to any item that applies to you, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

UK-wide
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UK-wide

Related guides in Compliance & Legal

Use this checklist to confirm your business meets its obligations. Work through each item and answer yes or no. Section 1 covers the workplace and employment duties; Section 2 covers the water industry regulatory duties. If you answer no to an item that applies to you, follow the linked guide before you proceed.

Workplace health and safety is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain and by HSENI in Northern Ireland. Economic regulation is by Ofwat (England and Wales) or WICS (Scotland). Drinking water quality is enforced by the DWI (England and Wales), DWQR (Scotland) or DfI (Northern Ireland). Environmental permits and abstraction licences are issued by the Environment Agency (England), Natural Resources Wales, SEPA (Scotland) or NIEA (Northern Ireland).

Section 1 — Workplace duties and employing people

These duties apply to every water supply business. Confirm each one.

  1. 1

    Have you written your risk assessments and put safe systems of work in place?

    Your general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of your people and others affected by your work. Risk-assess confined-space entry, chemical dosing, water-treatment operations and lone working at remote sites. If not, follow "Set up and run a safe water supply operation".

  2. 2

    Have you assessed fire risk at treatment works, pumping stations and offices?

    Follow the fire-safety regime for your nation.

  3. 3

    Do you hold employers' liability insurance and meet your equality and data duties?

    Hold at least £5 million of cover once you employ anyone; do not discriminate under the Equality Act 2010 (or separate NI equality law enforced by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland); and comply with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, registering with the ICO unless exempt.

Section 2 — Water industry regulatory duties

Confirm each regulatory duty that applies to your business.

  1. 1

    Do you hold an appointment or licence as a water undertaker?

    In England and Wales, a monopoly water undertaker must be appointed by Ofwat under the Water Industry Act 1991; new entrants need a WSSL. In Scotland, licensed providers need a licence from WICS. If not, follow "Meet your water industry regulatory duties".

  2. 2

    Do you meet drinking water quality standards?

    Water supplied for human consumption must meet the wholesomeness standards enforced by the DWI (England and Wales), DWQR (Scotland) or DfI (Northern Ireland), with sampling, treatment and reporting duties.

  3. 3

    Are you enforcing the water fittings regulations?

    Prevent waste, misuse, contamination and backflow in the supply system under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.

  4. 4

    If you operate a large raised reservoir: is it registered and inspected?

    Register it with the enforcement authority and have it supervised and inspected by a panel engineer under the Reservoirs Act 1975.

  5. 5

    Do you hold an abstraction licence for your raw-water collection?

    Abstract more than 20 cubic metres per day from any source and you need a licence from the Environment Agency or NRW. In Scotland, a CAR authorisation from SEPA.

  6. 6

    Do you hold environmental permits for your discharges?

    Discharging treated water or process water to controlled waters needs an environmental permit under EPR 2016; a CAR licence in Scotland; a discharge consent from NIEA in Northern Ireland.

If you answered no to anything

Work through the guide linked in that item. The two task guides — the workplace spine and the regulatory duties guide — set out what to do. Start from the router if you are not sure which apply to you.

Official sources

Authoritative water supply regulation guidance.