State of the South West 2008

Over 1.26 million litres/day of drinking water was supplied to in excess of 4 million consumers by water companies covering the South West in 2006. 

All but two of the water companies serving the South West achieved at least equal to or above the England and Wales average of 99.96% compliance with national and European drinking water standards in 2006.  Bristol Water and South West Water were the exception, both recording very slightly lower compliance with 99.95%.

The region exhibited a small incremental improvement in the index used by the Drinking Water Inspectorate to describe overall compliance with drinking water standards at consumers’ taps (40 parameters). The figure for 2006 was 99.96% compared to 99.95% in 2005 and 99.92% in 2004.  (Drinking Water Inspectorate, 2007)

More information about drinking water is available from the South West Observatory Environment website.  Water quality is also an indicator used to monitor progress of the Regional Environment Strategy.