Owners of domestic properties supplied by Anglian Water should report all water quality issues to Anglian Water. You can find out more about burst mains and water quality issues on Anglian Water’s website or call 0345 791 9155.
If you own a private water supply, such as a well or a borehole, it is your responsibility to make sure the premises has a wholesome water supply. If this is not the case, for example if the water supply fails a bacteriological test, every effort should be made to make sure the situation is rectified.
Read more about private water supplies on our website.
If your water fails due to E coli or coliforms you will be advised to boil your water or only use bottle water.
Until further tests, water at your tap is not wholesome and could cause illness such as diarrhoea or virus infections.
All water used for drinking and food preparation should be boiled briskly for at least one minute. This includes:
After boiling, keep a reasonable amount of cooled water in a clean, covered container in the refrigerator or a cool room, preferably in the dark. If not used within two days discard and boil a fresh supply.
All cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery should be washed in water that has been boiled or water that has had a disinfectant added. Washing-up liquid is a degreaser and not a steriliser/disinfectant.
If dishwashers are used, the detergent/steriliser recommended by the manufacturer should be used. For food businesses washing up, it is best to use a detergent with steriliser combined.
If no detergent/steriliser is available add the normal washing-up liquid together with a weak solution of bleach in the quantity of 30ml to 5 litres of water. Boots or Milton sterilising fluids available from pharmacies are ideal as a steriliser.
Even though water may be discoloured it can still be used after boiling. The quality can be improved if it is strained through a handkerchief or muslin before boiling (any straining cloth should be boiled before and after use) coffee filter papers are ideal for this purpose and this may be especially applicable for the preparation of baby foods. Babies’ feeds should only be made with boiled water.
Water must be boiled before incorporation into ice-lollies or dehydrated food.
Food preparation surfaces should be wiped over with a disposable cloth soaked in a weak solution of bleach, for example 30ml to 5 litres of water, or as directed on the steriliser bottle.
Boiled water is safer to drink than water that has only had a sterilising tablet or a liquid sterilant added. If you intend to temporarily chlorinate the water for drinking, use liquid hypochlorite, e.g. Boots sterilising liquid or Milton, rather than the sterilising tablets.
The actions you must take will depend on the parameter failing, so specific advice must always be sought from the Local Authority in the first instance.