Private water supplies
In general terms, a private water supply is any water supply which is not provided by a water company. It is not a 'mains' supply. No water rates are paid for these supplies, although the person who owns a supply may make a charge and there are no laws controlling the charges or other conditions connected with private supplies.
About 1% of the population use water from private supplies and the owner or person who uses the supply is responsible for repairing and maintaining it. Private supplies are usually used in the more remote parts of the country.
A private water supply could serve just one property or it could be a large supply with a large network of pipes supplying water to many properties. The water may come from a spring, a well, a borehole, a pond or a stream.