Water Quality Monitoring

Environment Agency discharge permits and General Binding Rules require you to demonstrate that your sewage treatment system meets effluent quality standards.

With private water supplies, the need is clearer. Your supply can contain bacteria, minerals and contaminants that pose health risks. Regular testing is essential- especially for supplies used for drinking, cooking, or food preparation

If compliance issues arise, properly collected and analysed samples provide legally defensible evidence of your system’s performance and compliance.

Improper sampling techniques, contaminated bottles, or incorrect storage can invalidate results. Our trained engineers ensure samples are collected correctly.

For ongoing compliance or as part of maintenance contracts, we can schedule regular testing at frequencies appropriate to your requirements:

Wastewater Discharges:

• Quarterly or annual monitoring (depending on permit requirements)
• More frequent testing for larger discharges or sensitive receiving waters

Private Water Supplies:

• Annual testing for domestic supplies
• More frequent monitoring for commercial supplies or higher-risk sources

We partner with local accredited laboratories that produce official compliance certificates. UKAS accreditation means results are legally defensible and accepted by regulators.

You receive straightforward reports explaining:

• Test results and whether they meet relevant standards
• Any exceedances or concerns
• Recommendations for action if needed
• Compliance status for regulatory purposes

If testing reveals water quality problems or discharge non-compliance, we don’t just hand you bad news – WCI will help identify causes and solutions, examples include:

Private Water Supplies:

• UV treatment for bacterial contamination
• Filtration for iron, manganese, or sediment
• pH correction systems
• Alternative treatment approaches
• Source protection recommendations

Wastewater Discharges:

• System maintenance or repairs
• Process optimisation
• Treatment upgrades if needed
• Guidance on meeting permit conditions

As part of WCI Group, if monitoring reveals problems requiring system improvements, our Service Engineers can often resolve issues, or our Project Engineers can design upgrades.

Private Water Supply Users:

• Rural homeowners with borehole or spring supplies
• Commercial properties serving food or accommodation
• Farms and agricultural businesses
• Anyone using private water for drinking

Wastewater Discharge Permit Holders:

• Homeowners with treatment plants discharging to watercourses
• Commercial sites with private wastewater treatment
• Any discharge covered by Environment Agency permits

Property Transactions:

• Buyers checking private water quality before purchase
• Sellers demonstrating discharge compliance

Post-Installation Verification:

• Confirming new treatment systems perform as designed
• Validating that repairs or upgrades achieved intended improvements

We provide water quality monitoring across Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Wiltshire, with rapid turnaround times from local UKAS-accredited laboratories.