"tapwater" news and stories

Of the 146,000 complaints on the UK's water supply, almost 120,000 were made about the colour of the liquid gushing from the nation's taps. But figures just released show that just a tiny fraction under 100% (99.96% to be precise) met the minimum safety standards.

While only a tiny proportion of tap water failed to meet minimum standards, 2,597 people contacted their suppliers to claiming it had made them ill which the Drinking Water Inspectorate put down to the condition of the pipes and taps inside the complainants homes.

Birds are the most likely suspect on dirty water - dead birds in uncovered tanks are regularly found, other tanks are below where birds nest and defecate. Pipework in a lot of homes is old and made of lead - so that toxic particles flow out of taps.

Customers in the South West Water area were the most common complainers with more than 15 people complaining for every 1,000 of the population. Customers in Northumbria were the second-most likely to complain.