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Record Keeping

Record keeping is an important part of looking after your private supply. Any treatment system should come with an appropriate set of instructions for use and operation. Your documents should also detail any maintenance requirements, including the criteria and regime for the replacement of any products or substances, which must meet the requirements of regulation 5 (England and Wales).

Reputable installers should provide a practical instruction and demonstration of the management and maintenance of the system to customers.

The Inspectorate recommends that installers explain the importance of record keeping including the management and maintenance records of any newly installed system to assist with the risk assessment process, required under the regulations.

Accurate and detailed records, maintenances diaries, schematics and plans of a private supply is important information for the risk assessment process. Ideally this information is provided to a local authority before a visit so that the time spent completing on-site risk assessments is optimised.

Maintenance

Maintenance should be proactive and involve a regular, preventative, maintenance programme, which enables early identification of problems. Equipment manufacturers’ maintenance instructions must be followed as a minimum requirement. Simple checks can be used to give forewarning of problems:

  • daily (or more frequent) checks on the operation of disinfection equipment
  • investigate the causes of dirty or discoloured water as it could be due to system failure
  • regular cleaning of filters in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations
  • routine site inspections to check for signs of pollution of the water source
  • structural inspections of the treatment plant, storage tanks and pipework

Maintenance should always be performed by those deemed competent (trained and/or experienced and familiar with the equipment), ideally by the supplier’s servicing contractors. At the time a water treatment system is installed, the supplier should provide training on routine operation and maintenance tasks.

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