Guidance and codes of practice

Guidance on implementing the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations

Long term planning guidance (PDF 202KB)

Long term planning guidance – Water Resources and Sufficiency of Supplies (PDF 189KB)

Private Water Supplies Guidance

DWI Reports with recommendations and lessons-learnt applicable to all water suppliers

Other Technical Guidance and codes of Practice

The Drinking Water Inspectorate produce guidance notes for regulations and procedures and codes of practice that the water industry must adhere to. A list of current documents can be found below.

The Standing Committee of Analysts (SCA) comprises a series of working groups who provide guidance on methods of sampling and analysis for determining the quality of environmental matrices. Guidance is published as Blue Books within the series Methods for the Examination of Waters and Associated materials. The guidance can be found on the SCA website 

Year	Title	Regulations
2021	Drinking Water Safety – Guidance to Health and Water Professionals England Wales Wales (Welsh)	N/A
2021	Guidance on the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 specific to PFOS (perfluorooctane sulphonate) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) concentrations in drinking water. (PDF  176KB)	N/A
2021	Guidance on the regulatory responsibilities of new (inset) appointees in relation to public water supplies (PDF 268KB)	N/A
2020	Guidance on Consumer Complaints (Version 1.1) (PDF 89KB)	N/A
2019	Guidance on the Notification of Events (Version 1.1) (PDF 338KB)	N/A
2019	The Water Industry (Suppliers’ Information) Direction 2019 (PDF 92KB)	N/A
2016	Guidance for reporting on Undertakings for metaldehyde and/or other pesticides in March 2017 (PDF 314KB)	N/A
2016	Guidance on the use of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for the disinfection of public water supplies (PDF 266KB)	N/A
2016	Code of Practice on technical aspects of Fluoridation of water supplies 2016 (PDF 64KB) – Issue date 5 January 2016 as mentioned in Information letter 01/2016	N/A
2015	WHO Technical Brief – Boil Water (PDF 726KB)	N/A
2013	Authorisation of different standards (PDF 135KB)	N/A
2012	Joint Drinking Water Inspectorate/Environment Agency Guidance: The Contribution of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations to the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in England & Wales (PDF 480KB)	N/A
2011	World Health Organisation – Guidelines for drinking water quality – 4th Edition (PDF 66KB)	N/A
2010	Rain water harvesting systems – Event in Upton Eco-Housing Development, Northamptonshire, June 2010 (PDF 213KB)	N/A
2005	Guidance on sample and sample extract stability trials (PDF 169KB) and Guidance on sample preservation ad preparation for metal analysis of drinking water (PDF 102KB) – Issue date 22 August 2005 As mentioned in Information letter 12/2005	N/A
2005	Guidance on calibration and analytical quality control for residual chlorine measurements (PDF 169KB) – Issue date 24 January 2005	N/A
2005	A Brief Guide to Drinking Water Safety Plans (PDF 256KB)	N/A
2004	Common Carriage: Guidance on the drinking water quality aspects (PDF 214KB) – Issue date 24 November 2004	N/A
1999	Guidance on the interpretation of aspects of analytical quality control (AQC) (PDF 175KB)	N/A