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The Draft Private Water Supplies
(Scotland) Regulations 2005 and Proposals for a Private
Water Supplies Grant Scheme: A Consultation
REGULATION OF PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES
Foreword
Around 150,000 people in Scotland rely on a private
water supply for their drinking water. Tens of thousands of
people also use them occasionally each year, typically when
they are on holiday. The quality of water from private
supplies is highly variable and when poor can cause
significant health problems. My primary concern and the
purpose of the legislative framework is to ensure that all
those who use private supplies can do so with safety.
That is why we are consulting on Regulations to
implement the revised EU Drinking Water Directive and other
recommendations on the delivery of safe drinking water,
including World Health Organisation Guidelines and
Scotland's
E.coli Task Force Report.
The Regulations incorporate the latest safety advances
in the area of drinking water quality including the use of
risk assessments, from 'source to tap', as part of an
effective drinking water surveillance programme. Our
approach was recently presented at a World Health
Organisation meeting of international experts in Iceland
where it received strong and enthusiastic support. We can
be justifiably proud that Scotland is at the forefront of
international developments designed to protect the health
of consumers of private water supplies.
Legislation on its own is not enough to secure our
public health objective of protecting all those who use
private water supplies. Instead these Regulations should be
seen as part of a package of measures. I am determined to
support consumers in understanding the action they can take
to reduce risk. We will provide them with clear advice
through the education campaign that will accompany the
Regulations. And we will provide direct financial
assistance towards improvements to private water supplies
through the proposed Grant Scheme. Local authorities will
continue to enforce these Regulations and we will provide
them with detailed technical guidance to assist them in
this role.
I am grateful to the many individuals, businesses and
public bodies who responded to our earlier consultation on
the principles of improving private water supplies. I
encourage you to give your consideration to these draft
Regulations and our proposals for a Grant Scheme and I look
forward to receiving your comments.
Lewis Macdonald
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural
Development
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