A Journey Worth Understanding
Every time you turn on your tap, fill a glass of water, or run a bath, you are at the end of a remarkable journey. The water that flows into your home has travelled through reservoirs, rivers, treatment works, and miles of underground pipes before reaching you, crystal clear, safe, and ready to drink. At Northumbrian Water, delivering clean, high-quality drinking water to 2.7 million customers every day is our core mission β and it is a process that involves extraordinary levels of care, science, and engineering.
Understanding where your water comes from and how it is treated can help you appreciate this vital resource and make informed choices about how you use it. So let us take you on the journey from source to tap.
Where Does Our Water Come From?
The North East of England is fortunate to have an abundant and varied supply of raw water sources. Our water comes primarily from:
- Reservoirs: We operate some of the most iconic reservoirs in the country, including Kielder Water β the largest artificial lake in Northern Europe by capacity. Kielder and our other upland reservoirs collect rainfall from the surrounding catchments, storing it until it is needed for treatment and supply.
- Rivers: We abstract water from several major rivers, including the Tees and the Wear. River water is carefully managed to ensure we take only what we need while maintaining healthy flows for wildlife and recreation.
- Groundwater: In some parts of our region, we draw water from underground aquifers β natural rock formations that store water filtered through layers of sand and rock over many years. Groundwater is often naturally very clean, though it still undergoes treatment before supply.
The mix of sources we use varies depending on the time of year, weather conditions, and demand. Our water resources team manages this complex balancing act to ensure that every tap in our region has a reliable supply, even during periods of drought or high demand.
Catchment Management: Protection at Source
Protecting water quality starts long before the water reaches our treatment works. Our catchment management programme works to safeguard the land surrounding our water sources, reducing the risk of pollution from agriculture, industry, and urban runoff. We work with farmers and landowners to promote practices that reduce pesticide use, prevent soil erosion, and keep pollutants out of rivers and streams.
By investing in catchment protection, we can reduce the level of treatment needed at our water works, saving energy and chemicals while delivering water that is as close to its natural state as possible. This approach, known as catchment-to-tap management, is at the heart of our water quality strategy.
Water Treatment: Science in Action
Once raw water arrives at one of our treatment works, it undergoes a multi-stage process designed to remove impurities, kill harmful bacteria, and ensure that it meets the strict standards set by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. The typical treatment process includes:
- Screening and clarification: Large debris such as leaves and twigs is removed, and chemicals are added to cause fine particles to clump together and settle out of the water.
- Filtration: The water passes through layers of sand and gravel, which remove remaining particles and some dissolved substances. In some works, we use activated carbon filters to remove taste, odour, and trace organic compounds.
- Disinfection: Chlorine or UV light is used to kill bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms, ensuring the water is safe to drink. A small residual level of chlorine is maintained in the distribution system to protect against contamination as the water travels through the pipes to your home.
- pH adjustment and fluoridation: The acidity of the water is adjusted to prevent corrosion of pipes, and in some areas, fluoride is added at the request of local health authorities to support dental health.
- Quality testing: Throughout the process, water is tested continuously using automated monitors and regular laboratory analysis. We test for over 50 parameters, including bacteria, metals, pesticides, and chemical compounds, to ensure that every drop meets the highest standards.
Distribution: From Works to Your Home
Treated water is stored in covered service reservoirs and water towers before being distributed through a vast network of pipes that stretches across the North East. Our distribution network includes over 26,000 kilometres of water mains, ranging from large trunk mains that carry water between towns to smaller pipes that serve individual streets and properties.
Maintaining this network is a constant challenge. We use a combination of pressure management, acoustic leak detection, and smart metering data to monitor the health of our pipes and identify potential problems before they affect customers. Our teams are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ready to respond to bursts, leaks, and supply interruptions whenever they occur.
Quality You Can Trust
Northumbrian Water consistently achieves some of the highest water quality compliance rates in England. Our results are published annually and audited by the Drinking Water Inspectorate, providing independent assurance that the water we supply is safe, clean, and meets all regulatory standards. If you would like to know more about the quality of the water in your area, our online water quality checker allows you to enter your postcode and view detailed test results for your supply zone.
From the hills of Kielder to the taps of Tyneside, every stage of our water delivery process is designed with one goal in mind: ensuring that you can trust the water you drink. It is a responsibility we take immense pride in, and one we will continue to uphold for generations to come.