We all turn on the tap and expect pure, clean water to flow 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. But have you ever wondered how this happens?

Water supply is a complicated business but an amazing one too. The job of treatment and transfer to tap is one which all the water companies undertake for the benefit of the whole community. We do this by carefully taking water from aquifers – natural, underground chambers deep below the Earth’s surface - rivers and reservoirs.

Regardless of where the water comes from, water requires treatment before it is safe to use. Generally, groundwater from aquifers needs only disinfection by chlorination. That’s because it is already of high quality having been filtered through many layers of chalk or sand.

Water taken from rivers or reservoirs can contain some impurities and possibly harmful micro-organisms, such as bacteria, which need to be removed. This is done through a multi-stage treatment process at modern water treatment works to make sure it is safe to drink.

Once the water is treated, it is pumped into huge underground storage tanks ready to send along our 80,000km of company water mains, straight to your tap.

Where does the water come from?