Our enforcement role

Essex & Suffolk Water enforce the regulations within our area of supply.

We believe that it is in the interest of everyone who uses water from the public water supply network to ensure that any possibility of a reduction in water quality is eliminated.

To this end, we believe that prevention is better than cure and that through education, advice and promotion, we can raise the standards of water fittings and plumbing installations within the area that we supply with drinking quality water.

Although we will resort to legal action as a last resort, we feel that it is worthwhile remembering that it is an offence to breach the Water Regulations, and that offenders may face prosecution. After all, we all expect the water that we draw from a tap to be safe to drink!

We prefer to work with designers, installers and owners to resolve issues before they arise. The onus is upon the designer, installer or owner, to make sure that they contact the Water Regulations team and discuss this as soon as practical.

Equally, we acknowledge that issues arising from previously installed systems and fittings, must be dealt with in a manner acceptable to all of those involved wherever possible.

In the first instance, our advice will always be to contact us and discuss any potential problems before they become the subject of an enquiry into unacceptable water quality. Contact the water regulations team.

As a general rule, we inspect every new non-domestic installation and a proportion of new domestic installations in order to ensure that they meet the standards required.

We will inspect existing installations from time to time based on the potential risk of contamination, to achieve continued compliance. In addition, where appropriate, we will carry out inspections based on the concerns of customers about water quality or as directed by regulatory bodies or on the grounds of advice and experience.

We always aim to act in a professional and equitable manner, in line with our policy. Download Essex and Suffolk Water's Enforcement Policy for Water Regulations.