Imagine every time you turned on a tap, no matter where in the UK you were, you were taking a gamble with what came out.

Even if the odds were 99% in your favour, you’d still do a few checks just to make sure your water was safe.

If you’re wondering whether tap water is bad for you, you’ll be happy to know that is isn’t. More importantly, it shouldn’t be bad for you.

Sometimes though, it’s all too easy to run into problems with tap water that can be incredibly annoying, especially if water is critical to how your business operates.

Whether you’re running a café, have a car wash, own a restaurant or even just have an office where you only use water for the coffee machine, you want to trust that your tap water is 100% clean, drinkable and ready to use. In this blog, we’re going to highlight some common problems that you may run into with tap water, whether certain areas have bad tap water, and what businesses can do to ensure their tap water is clean.

What problems can I have in my tap water?

Apart from the odd occasion where you may experience discolouration in your tap water, for the most part, you’ll rarely find a problem with your water.

Some common issues you might face with UK tap water could include:

  • Substances like fluoride and chlorine in the water
  • Cloudy water
  • Waste in your system – filtering into your tap water
  • Water not tasting right
  • Low pressure in the water coming out of your tap

It’s important to remember that your local water network owner has to continually test the water supply and show that it is safe to drink and use.

tap water

What causes problems in tap water?

In most cases, tap water problems arise from issues within your supply. For example, you might get dirt stuck in a pipe which feeds water into your premises. As water pressure pushes it around, the only way for it to come out is through your taps.

If water works are happening in your area, the local authority should notify you if there will be a disruption or if there will be temporary issues with your supply.

What should I be looking for in my tap water?

Ironically, you shouldn’t have to look for anything in your water when it comes out of the tap. Sometimes however, you might pour a glass of water and see it has white bubbles in it. You can read more on why this might happen in our blog on cloudy water - click here.

Do certain areas have bad tap water?

It’s not that certain areas have bad tap water per se, but rather some areas of the UK require the water supply to be treated more intensely in order for it to be safe for use.

You’ll never really notice the difference unless you happen to move from north to south a lot. Because most of the south of England sits on chalk, water from those aquifers tends to be very ‘hard’ in nature, compared to say water sourced from lochs in Scotland.

Most people only tend to notice when washing their hair as hard water is full of minerals that can leave your hair dull and brittle, making it more prone to breakage.

Is London tap water bad for you?

No. London has fantastic water quality, given how immense the network is.

If you’re a business based in London and want a better rate on your water bills, get in touch with us. Castle Water is the leading business water supplier in London, covering everywhere within the M25 and beyond.

Isn’t bottled water safer to drink?

Weirdly enough, bottled water doesn’t have as rigorous a testing system as tap water. While it is handy to have bottled water around, you won’t get much cleaner than what comes out of your tap.

bottled water

How can businesses have clean tap water?

By default, unless you have a private supply or closed connection, your business should have clean and safe water.

If you don’t think you do, you’ll have to get in touch with your water supplier, who can act on your behalf to have the water network owner investigate / fix this. Alternatively, you can contact your water network owner directly.

Do I have to boil tap water to make it clean for use?

Unless you’re looking to make a lovely cup of tea, you should never need to boil water for regular use.

There are cases where the water authority in your area may have problems with the local system and have to issue what is known as a ‘boil notice’. A good example of this happened in late 2019 in Dublin when nearly a million people had their water services affected after heavy rainfall created overflow in the River Liffey. This caused the filters at local water treatment centres to be under pressure and meant high turbidity levels came through taps.

Unlike cloudy water, water with high turbidity levels means there are small particles in your water, and it can end up coming through your tap with a brown hue.

When this happens on a larger scale for business, it’s vital to have water contingency plans in place that won’t affect workflow.

Castle Water has a strong network of additional service partners, many of whom provide water contingency services. Find out more about how we can help with water supply continuity and contingency planning here or give us a call on 01250 718700 to speak to one of our experts.

Can a business get its water supply checked?

If you run a business and worry that there is water wastage, or you’re unsure what the quality of your water is like, Castle Water can help.

We help companies across the UK with water efficiency measures which can improve water systems and help you to save money.

Want better water solutions? Get in Touch

As well as ensuring your water quality is spot on, Castle Water can help you save money and water. As the UK’s leading independent water retailer we’re committed to providing businesses with great-value water services.

Call us on 01250 718 700 or contact us here to find out how we can help your business.

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