Private water supplies

Ensuring safe drinking water with the Public Health Act 2010 and Public Health Regulation 2022

The Public Health Act 2010 and the Public Health Regulation 2022 require drinking water suppliers to:

• have a quality assurance program (QAP) that complies with the Regulation
  
• comply with (i.e. implement) its QAP
• provide a copy of the QAP to the local Public Health Unit
• keep records relating to managing the safety of its drinking water supply.

Penalties may now apply if these requirements are not followed.

NSW Health's Private Water Supply Guidelines will assist private water supply operators in providing water that is safe to use. The Guidelines are for any business or facility that supplies drinking water from an independent water supply (i.e. not town water).

• NSW Private Water Supplies Guidelines
• Corrected Chlorine Ready Reckoner Tables to insert into printed 2014 Guidelines
• IB2013_003 Private Water Supplies and Water Carters Information Bulletin

The NSW Food Authority provide information for food businesses using non-reticulated water and fact sheets with specific information for different industry sectors such as home-based businesses, charities and catering.

Developing a quality assurance program

Use the NSW Private Water Supply Guidelines and the quality assurance program (QAP) template below to create your own QAP. Refer to an example QAP that is similar to your supply as a guide. Your completed QAP should reflect your water supply so it will vary from the examples.

• QAP template
• QAP template for untreated rainwater (small supplies only)

Larger, more complex, drinking water supplies should use the NSW Guidelines for Drinking Water Management Systems for development of a QAP. Further information and examples can be found at Drinking Water in Rural and Regional NSW.

NSW Health recommends water supplies are regularity monitored. If a water supply is contaminated, or is not monitored or not treated then consumers should be warned. Example signs are available to print. For monitoring information please see Private Water Supply Testing Service FASS.