The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016

Water treatment to minimise contamination from pipes

29.—(1) Paragraph (2) applies where there is a risk (“the prescribed risk”) that water supplied by a relevant supplier would, for the reason mentioned in paragraph (3), after leaving the relevant supplier’s pipes—

(a) contain a concentration of copper in excess of 2mg/litre, or

(b) contain a concentration of lead in excess of 10µg/litre.

(2) Every water undertaker or combined licensee which introduces water into the supply system used by the relevant supplier must, subject to paragraph (4), treat the water in such a way as will, in its opinion, eliminate the prescribed risk or reduce it to a minimum.

(3) The reason referred to in paragraph (1) is the presence in the water of a concentration of copper or lead which is attributable to the fact that copper or lead is the major component of such a pipe as is mentioned in section 68(3) of the Act(1), or its associated fittings.

(4) Paragraph (1) does not require a water undertaker or combined licensee to treat water if—

(a) the treatment is unlikely to achieve a significant reduction in the concentration of copper or lead, or

(b) treatment is not reasonably practicable.

(1)

Section 68(3) was amended by paragraph 18(5) of Schedule 8 to the Water Act 2003 (c.37).