The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989

Contamination from pipes

24.—(1) Where there is a risk (“the prescribed risk”) that water supplied by a water undertaker would, for the reason mentioned in paragraph (2) below, cease to comply with the requirements of Part II of these Regulations after leaving the undertaker’s pipes, a water undertaker shall, subject to paragraphs (4) and (5)–

(a) treat the water in such a way as will, in its opinion, eliminate the prescribed risk or reduce it to a minimum; and

(b) where the risk relates to lead, remove its part of any pipe to which this sub-paragraph applies when such part of the remainder of that pipe as connects directly to a tap used for the supply of drinking water is removed.

(2) The reason referred to in paragraph (1) is the presence in the water of a concentration of copper, lead or zinc which exceeds the prescribed concentration and which is attributable to the fact that–

(a) copper or lead is the major component; or

(b) zinc is a component,

of such a pipe as is mentioned in section 52(3)(a) of the Act.

(3) Paragraph (1)(b) applies to a lead pipe of the kind mentioned in section 52(3)(a) of the Act which belongs, as to part, to a water undertaker and, as to the remainder, to the owner of any premises to which the undertaker supplies water for domestic purposes.

(4) Paragraph (1) shall not require an undertaker to treat water–

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

(b) in any water supply zone where the prescribed risk relates only to water supplied in an insignificant part of the zone; or

(c) if treatment is not reasonably practicable.

(5) Paragraph (1) shall not require an undertaker to remove a pipe unless it has received a request in writing to do so from the owner of the premises in question.