For location of private pipework in your area contact your local District Council or check your house deeds.
If you are a land or property owner you can request an asset plan by emailing Source for Searches.
For solicitors/conveyancers looking for a water and drainage search (CON29DW) can find more information at Source for Searches.
For maps of the location of public sewers, disposal mains, lateral drains and water mains which we are responsible for, please email Asset Enquiries providing the postcode of the property.
Our In your area site will tell you if there’s any work, that we are aware of, that could be causing no water.
There could be a few reasons for having no water:
- Emergency work on a burst main
- Planned work where we’ve notified you in advance
- An airlock in your system following work
- An issue with your internal plumbing
- Neighbours carrying out work on a joint supply
If you can't find anything on our In your area site, you may want to check with neighbours to confirm if it is just your supply affected. If the issue is affecting your neighbours, it may be that we’re not aware of a problem on our main supply. Please call our Customer Service helpline on 01202 590059
To check for airlocks, turn your internal stop tap on and off 3 times to release any air whilst the cold kitchen tap is open. You should also check that your external stop tap is open if it is safe to do so.
For issues with internal plumbing there is a list of approved plumbers at WaterSafe.
Follow these steps to resolve frozen pipes:
- Check that the pipes are frozen by checking that your neighbours have water
- Check your pipes for signs of a split - a leak or burst will not occur until the water has thawed
- Turn off the supply using the internal stop tap (usually under the kitchen sink)
- If the central heating and any other water heating appliances are already on, keep on. However, if they are currently turned off do not be tempted to switch them on to thaw frozen pipes as this could cause damage
- Drain the cold water system only by flushing the toilet and opening cold taps over sinks and baths
- If there’s no sign of damage on your pipes, turn on all the taps and thaw the frozen pipe using a warm towel or hot water bottle
- When the pipe has thawed and you’re sure there’s no damage, turn off the taps and slowly switch the internal stop tap on
- Check again for damage or any leak before switching on your central heating
If you do find a leak or burst pipe, you’ll need a plumber. Approved plumbers can be found through WaterSafe or on the Water Industry Approved Plumber Scheme WIAPS.
Please contact us or write to us to confirm that you’d like to permanently disconnect your water supply.
We don’t charge for disconnections, but if you do decide to re-connect it in the future there will be a connection charge. Connection charges are listed on our Developer Services Charging Arrangements page.
Pipe noise can be caused by;
- A leak on a pipe leading to a 'rushing' noise, often more noticeable at night
- A faulty ball valve can produce a 'rushing' or whistling noise
- Air in the pipework, faulty taps or ball valves and loose pipework can lead to banging, hammering or juddering in pipes.
You should contact a plumber to help you as noises of this kind are usually caused by an internal problem.
Kettles
Always use fresh water to fill kettles, re-boiling water will encourage the build up of limescale and other deposits which can lead to a taste in the water.
Boilers and Central heating
Keep the temperature setting below 60°C. Scale build up usually occurs when the temperature of water reaches 71°C.
Washing machines
Keep the door open to air the inside of the machine. If you set your machine on a low temperature cycle to save energy, run the machine on a 60°C wash every so often to help avoid bacteria and mould growth inside the machine.
Shower curtains, tile grouting and taps
To prevent discolouration due to mould or fungus, clean these areas regularly with a household disinfectant or bleach. Air the kitchen and bathroom regularly, opening windows or using extractor fans.
It’s caused by air becoming trapped in the pipes, usually when repair work has been carried out.
This is known as aerated water and it’s safe to continue drinking. A glass of aerated water will clear from the bottom upwards in about 30 seconds. Aerated water will normally clear quickly by running the cold kitchen tap for a short time.
It’s quite common for water from hot taps to be white or cloudy and this is usually caused by your boiler.
If your water is any other colour visit our discoloured water page for further information.
There are lots of factors that can affect the taste or smell of your water. We treat and test all the water we supply and sometimes the cause of a taste or smell can relate to issues with your private plumbing or appliances in your home.
There’s more information about causes and solutions on our pages for taste and smells of chlorine, antiseptic, earthy or musty.
If you believe that heating oil, thinners, petrol, diesel or creosote has been spilt near to an underground pipe, don’t drink the water and call us immediately on 01202 590059.
We use blue paint to either mark a location of a stop tap or meter when we’re planning maintenance work or when we know there’s a fault that needs resolving.
Other utilities also use a different colour paint to mark locations of their apparatus for the same reasons.
To clear discoloured water, run the cold tap that is fed directly from the mains (usually your cold kitchen tap) for up to an hour, checking it every 10 minutes to see if it has cleared.
If you are a household customer on a water meter, we can credit your account with a run off allowance.
Ask your neighbours if they have discoloured water, if they do, the problem may be with the main supply, caused by a burst pipe.
If you have tried running your cold tap for over an hour and the water still hasn’t cleared, please call Customer Service on 01202 590059
If the problem is only affecting your supply, we'd recommend you ask a plumber to check your supply pipes and fittings.