Water quality
Our aim is to maintain the air, land and water in the borough to the highest possible quality. This is done by monitoring the environment, controlling the release of pollution, giving advice and by taking action against those who pollute.
Water in Tower Hamlets is important to us all. Of course, we need it to drink, but we also use it for safe recreation. A large area of our borough borders the river Thames, and there are many canals, docks and other inland waterways.
The Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016 came into force on 27 June 2016 and requires the council to check the quality of private water supplies.
These regulations permit London Borough of Tower Hamlets to recover costs associated with providing particular services to private supply owners/operators such as carrying out risk assessments, investigations and taking and analysing samples.
Register of private water supplies in Tower Hamlets
- Leonardo Royal London Tower Bridge Hotel, 45 Prescot Street, London, E1 8GP
- Kedassia Poultry Ltd, 3 Smeed Road, E3 2NR.
Charges for private water supply testing
Private Water Supplies (England) Regulations 2016
The above Regulations make provision for local authorities to charge supply owners for undertaking their required duties.
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets may revise charges from time to time but will not exceed the maximum allowed by the Regulations.
An overview of our charging arrangements for commercial supplies is set out in the following table
Water activity
| Activity | Maximum charge permitted (£) | Our charges |
|---|
|
Risk assessment
|
500
|
Hourly rate and officer time
|
|
Sampling
|
100
|
Hourly rate and officer time
|
|
Investigation
|
100
|
Hourly rate and time + any analysis costs
|
|
Granting for authorisation
|
100
|
Hourly rate and officer time
|
Water analysis
| Activity | Maximum charge permitted (£) | Our charges |
|---|
|
Analysing a sample taken under Regulation 10
|
25
|
25
|
|
Check monitoring*
|
100
|
Recover full cost of analysis up to the statutory maximum
|
|
Audit monitoring*
|
500
|
Recover full cost of analysis up to the statutory maximum
|
*Hourly rate = £30
Officer time, to the nearest 15 minutes
More information on private water supplies is available from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) on the DEFRA website.
Related services
Visit the air quality and clean air pollution page for more information.