Drinking Water Inspectorate

Who do I contact if I have a problem with my supply of mains water?

Contact NI Water on: 0845 744 0088 or by email to waterline@cs.niwater.com.

Who do I contact if I would like to make a complaint about the quality of my drinking water?

Contact NI Water on: 0845 744 0088 or by email to waterline@cs.niwater.com.

Who do I contact if I am not satisfied with NI Water’s response to a complaint about my mains water supply?

Contact the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland on: 0800 121 6022 or by email to complaints@consumercouncil.org.uk.

Where can I find advice on drinking water quality issues, such as discoloured water, taste and odour problems, lead in drinking water and/or water hardness?

Information and advice on drinking water quality issues can be obtained in our Information for Consumers section.

How can I find out about the quality of drinking water in my area?

Contact NI Water on: 0845 744 0088 or by email to waterline@cs.niwater.com.

How do I know if I am on a private water supply?

In most instances private water supplies to domestic dwellings are in remote rural areas where there is restricted access to the public water supply from NI Water. A private water supply will come mainly from boreholes, wells and springs. If in any doubt, you can contact the Drinking Water Inspectorate on: 028 9056 9243 or by email to dwi@doeni.gov.uk.

Who do I contact if I have a query about my private water supply?

For private water supplies to a single house or dwelling, contact the Environmental Health Department of your local council. Details on local councils can be obtained from the Directgov website.

For private water supplies to two or more houses, or to a commercial premises, contact the Drinking Water Inspectorate on: 028 9056 9243 or by email to dwi@doeni.gov.uk

Do I need to register my private water supply with the Drinking Water Inspectorate?

If you have a private water supply which serves two or more properties or a commercial premises and the water is used for domestic or food/drink production purposes, then you are required (under The Private Water Supplies (NI) Regulations 1994) to register your supply with the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Your private water supply will then be sampled and analysed at a frequency dependent on the number of persons served by the supply, or the volume of water used (cubic metres/day). We will provide you with the results of this analysis.

How do I register my private water supply with the Drinking Water Inspectorate?

To register your private water supply, obtain a copy of the Private Water Supply Registration Form from the Drinking Water Inspectorate or the Environmental Health Department of your local council. Alternatively, you can download a copy from Private Water Supplies registration form (.PDF 117.4Kb) on our website. Complete this form and return it to us. We will assess the details of your registration form and determine if your supply should be registered under The Private Water Supplies (NI) Regulations 1994.

Where can I get advice or guidance on private water supplies?

The Drinking Water Inspectorate and the Environmental Health Departments of your local council can offer advice on private water supplies. Also, additional information can be obtained from the Private Water Supplies website.

How good is Northern Ireland's drinking water quality?

The DWI's Annual Report (.PDF 3.8Mb) provides information on the quality of our drinking water.

Where is the DWI?

Klondyke Building,
Cromac Avenue,
Gasworks Business Park,
Lower Ormeau Road,
Belfast
BT7 2JA.