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Bacteria in water

Just like air and food, drinking water is not sterile - nor does it need to be. It should, however, be free from pathogens, which are micro-organisms capable of causing disease.

That's why we make sure that drinking water is treated to remove any pathogens that may be present, and is disinfected before it leaves our treatment works. A small residual amount of chlorine is left in the water to maintain quality as it travels through the network of mains and pipes that deliver water to our customers.

Although this process may be out of your hands, there are lots of things you can do to make sure that your water remains free from bacteria once it reaches your tap:

  • carry out regular cleaning and maintenance on plumbed-in water filters or softeners
  • check your dishwasher and washing machines are installed correctly
  • make sure taps used for drinking water and food preparation are cleaned regularly
  • make sure any tanks which supply taps used for drinking water have lids on them to prevent access for animals

For more information, please take a look at our factsheet which goes into more detail about bacteria in water (PDF 94 KB opens in a new window).

We also have an easy-to-read guide which explains how you can keep your tap water in tip-top condition (PDF 14.2 MB opens in a new window) 

If you are at all concerned about the quality of your water, please call us on 0345 672 3723. Dial 18001 first if you have hearing or speech difficulties.

Important Notice

Cold Weather

Due to the freezing weather conditions across the region a number of our customers are experiencing no water or reduced pressure, caused by frozen pipes in their home. There are a few things you can do to check if you have frozen pipes. If you are unable to complete these checks please reach out to your family, friends or neighbours to see if they can help:

  1. If there are no local issues check with your neighbours. If they have water, you may have a frozen pipe in your property.
  2. Here’s what to do. Turn off your stop tap by turning it clockwise, it’s usually found under your kitchen sink, but can be in your garage or cellar.
  3. Once you’ve turned your stop tap off, turn on your cold tap in the kitchen
  4. If you have no water, this could be due to a frozen pipe somewhere in your home. This may be the pipe which comes into your home near to where your stop tap is located.
  5. Carefully thaw the pipe using a warm towel, or if safe to do so a hairdryer in short bursts, ensuring you keep well away from water. If you can get water from a neighbour you could try a hot water bottle too. This could take a while, depending on how frozen and big your pipes are.
  6. Switch your stop tap back on to see if the water is running.

You can find more information at www.unitedutilities.com/frozenpipes.

If you have followed all of the advice provided and still want to talk to us, please give us a call. As we are experiencing really high call volumes at the moment, please bear with us as wait times will be longer than usual. 

Due to the freezing weather conditions across the region a number of our customers are experiencing no water or reduced pressure, caused by frozen pipes in their home. For more help and advice if you have a frozen pipe head to www.unitedutilities.com/frozenpipes.

Cold Weather

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