When you turn on your tap, safe, clean water arrives instantly. We could say that many of us take that for granted. But behind that everyday moment is a vast, complex, carefully managed system working around the clock across the South West. It relies on science, skilled people and constant monitoring to keep water safe, whatever the weather – even major storms like we’ve experienced recently.
Money from customers’ bills pays towards this behind-the-scenes work, protecting precious water sources and making sure money is spent wisely on prevention rather than costly emergencies.
- Much of it starts as rain on the moors
A large amount of the South West’s drinking water begins as rainfall on Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor. These upland areas are carefully protected, with little development or industry, which helps keep the water cleaner before it reaches the rivers and reservoirs.
Rainwater runs over the land and into streams and rivers, eventually collecting in reservoirs. Protecting these catchments is one of the first and most important steps in keeping drinking water safe.
By restoring damaged peatland, for example, we improve raw water quality before it reaches our treatment works. Healthy peat acts like a sponge, slowing rainwater as it flows into rivers and locking away carbon.
- Every drop is carefully treated before you drink it
Before water reaches homes and businesses, it is treated at specialist water treatment works. This process removes particles, manages naturally occurring substances and kills harmful germs.
Many water treatment works rely on gravity as much as machinery and in some cases, the water is already clean enough to drink before the final treatment stage.
The treatment process may sound simple, but it is tightly controlled and designed to meet some of the strictest drinking water standards in the world.
- Your tap water is tested again and again
Water quality checks don’t stop once treatment is finished. Samples are taken regularly from treatment works, storage tanks, pipes and even customers’ taps.
These tests are carried out by trained scientists to make sure water stays safe all the way to the tap. Behind the scenes, this work is supported by laboratories, monitoring equipment and engineers on call to respond quickly if anything changes.
- The way water is treated changes with the weather
The weather has a bigger impact on water than many people realise. Heavy rain can wash soil, fertiliser, animal waste and debris from roads, fields and towns into rivers and streams, while dry spells can change water chemistry.
Because of this, treatment works are constantly adjusted. Operators fine‑tune the process day by day to make sure water quality stays the same, whatever the season.
- Water is part of a continuous cycle
Water doesn’t disappear after it goes down the plughole. It is collected through the sewer network and cleaned at wastewater treatment works before being safely returned to the environment.
It’s cleaned in stages using screens, a bit like giant sieves, to filter out solids, wet wipes and sanitary products. Bacteria are used to breakdown the wastewater and then it's treated with UV light. This process works by damaging the DNA of bacteria stopping them from reproducing.
It’s then returned to the environment to rejoin the natural water cycle again, eventually falling as rain and starting the journey back to our taps.
- It doesn’t all come from reservoirs
While reservoirs are important, drinking water in the South West also comes from rivers and underground sources known as aquifers. Around 10% comes from groundwater sources, with rivers and reservoirs each making up around a half of the remaining supply on average.
In wetter years we're able to use more river water, but in dry years there isn't as much water available in rivers so we have to rely more on water stored in our reservoirs.
Winter is when the reservoirs are replenished as higher rainfall and lower demand allow more water to be stored, ready for the drier, warmer months.
- Engineers can inspect pipes without digging up roads
Much of the water network is hidden underground, but new technology means it can be checked from the inside. Engineers use cameras, listening equipment, sensors and digital imaging to look for leaks and problems inside pipes and tanks.
This helps spot issues early, reduce the risk of bursts and avoid unnecessary repairs.
- Tap water is very closely regulated
Drinking water in England is among the safest in the world and is independently regulated and must meet strict legal standards. Results are reported regularly and checked to make sure companies are meeting their responsibilities.
In some countries, people still have to boil their water all the time before they can drink it.
- Summer tourism puts extra pressure on supplies
The South West is a popular holiday destination, and in the summer months the population feels like it doubles in many areas This means much higher demand for water at certain times of year.
Careful planning, extra storage and constant monitoring help make sure there is enough water for residents and visitors, even during busy periods.
- In some places, water can even generate electricity
At some sites, the flow of water through our system is used to generate renewable electricity. These small hydro schemes capture energy from water that is already moving downhill.
They are limited in number, but they help make the water system more energy efficient without affecting supply or quality.
Much of what customers pay for goes on work most people never see: protecting water sources, maintaining pipes, testing quality and responding quickly when things go wrong. All of it is about making sure clean, safe water is there whenever you turn on the tap. That water has been on a long journey, often travelling several miles before reaching your home.