Water leaving our treatment plants is filtered and disinfected, and it is tested before it goes into the distribution system.
The safety test that matters most. Filtration removes the great majority of bacteria and chlorine deals with what's left.
A small amount of chlorine stays in the water on purpose. It keeps the water protected all the way through the pipes to your tap. That's the smell people sometimes notice.
How clear the water is. Rain stirs up soil and fine clay in the rivers, and turbidity is the measure of how much of it is still in the water.
Routine checks on the balance of the water, which affects both taste and the condition of the pipes.
Samples are taken at the treatment plants and at points across the distribution network, so we’re checking the water people actually receive, not only what leaves the plant.
Reserved for a short quarterly summary of results published here - a few headline figures and a plain sentence on what they mean. This is the strongest trust signal a water utility has. If the answer is no for now, this heading comes out entirely.
Tiny air bubbles picked up on the way from the plant. Let the glass stand for a minute and it clears from the bottom up. Harmless.
That's the disinfection doing its job. Keep a jug in the fridge, or pour the water between two containers a couple of times, and the scent drops off.
Usually follows heavy rain or a repair on a nearby line. Run the tap for a few minutes. If it's still discoloured after that, tell us.
We draw from different sources depending on what's available. River water tastes slightly different from borehole water, and that shifts through the year.
Get in touch if the water is discoloured after running the tap for several minutes, if it has an unusual smell or taste that isn't chlorine, or if anyone in the household has become unwell and you think the water may be the reason.
