Live in Chelmsford North? Ever wondered where your water comes from and how we get it to your tap? You’re in the right place!
You might have recently heard that there may be changes in the hardness or softness of tap water in certain areas of Essex. Please be reassured that there have been no differences or modifications to the way we supply your water so you’ll continue to enjoy our clean, clear and great tasting water.
Your water starts its journey in several scenic sites. We collect water in a few different ways from these locations, to get just the right blend. Similar to coffee, tea, and whiskey, there are so many small differences in each type of ingredient and blending helps to get it spot on.
Sometimes, to keep up with demand in your area, we need to change the blend a touch so that there’s plenty of water available for all. This can result in your water tasting or smelling slightly different to the last time you turned on your tap and this is completely normal. Like switching from Twinings to PG Tips, to Tetley, you’d notice a small difference but it’s still a lovely cuppa (other tea brands are available!).
Your water comes from our water treatment works direct from the River Stour and Kings Lynn and from our water reservoir at Abberton, an internationally recognised top water body, near Colchester. Abberton Reservoir receives water, collected in the autumn and winter, from a number of Essex rivers and from water transferred 140km from Kings Lynn in Norfolk.
All of this water is moved to our water treatment works by a series of pipes and pumps. The water treatment works; Langham near Colchester and Layer next to Layer de la Haye, process the water through several stages to make sure every drop is treated to the highest standard.
From there, the water is moved through a network of water mains to a number of service reservoirs (treated water storage tanks) across Essex. The treated water is stored there until we need to push it along our huge network of pipes to your home so that when you turn on the tap, you’ve always got clean, clear, and great tasting water.
But water just falls from the sky, right?
We're pleased you asked! Technically, yes, water falls from the sky. However, we strongly advise against drinking it straight from a puddle!
Not only do we hold ourselves to high standards, but so does the law. We treat and test our water (a lot!) to make sure it meets all requirements and regulations.
We spend a huge amount of effort, energy and time turning rainfall into the wonderful wet stuff that comes out of your tap. We're proud to supply our customers with some of the best quality tap water in the UK, not to mention cleanest in the world.
How do you make sure I always have water?
We treat and supply 450 million litres of water every single day.
To make sure we can supply all our customers with the water they need, sometimes we need to move water around our huge network of pipes or use different sources of water for a short amount of time. All our water is treated to the same high standard, however when we make changes like this, you may notice a difference in taste or smell.
We all get used to the taste and smell of our water so any small change can be noticed instantly, this is completely normal. The change can often be improved by chilling your water in the fridge for an hour or so or popping a slice of lemon in your glass if you can't wait that long.
If you notice a major change in the taste or smell of your water, check out some information about taste and smell for more advice and help.
Recently, we've seen an increase in the amount of water that everyone's using. To help us, and to make sure everyone has the water they need, please use your water wisely. You can find out more water saving tips, because water's worth saving.
More in this section
Taste and smells
Did you know, the taste and smell of your water can change based on where you live or where your water comes from?
Learn more about taste and smells
Discoloured water
Water is usually crystal clear, but things like repair work, pipe fittings or even air bubbles can change the colour
Find out about discoloured water