The Quality of Private Water Supplies in Calderdale - the Implications of the EC Directive on Drinking Water Quality

T he NUMBER AND nature of private water supplies in Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council, West Yorkshire, were determined and each of these supplies sampled once or more to determine their compliance with the 1985'EC Directive on drinking water quality'. A total of 560 private water supplies were located serving 1970 properties. Of a total of 1160 samples tested, 83 per cent failed to meet the maximum admissible concentration for one or more of the parameters specified in the EC Directive. These parameters monitored included faecal coliforms, for which 48 per cent of the samples failed, and lead, for which 25 per cent failed. Possible reasons for these failures are discussed and the implications of these results on the implementation of the Directive are considered.