In Scotland, approximately 3% of the Scottish population uses a private water supply for drinking water. These supplies can originate from a number of sources including lochs, burns or boreholes and are often found in more rural areas of Scotland. Private water supplies are not provided or maintained by Scottish Water.


All private water supplies must be registered with the local authority environmental health department. The quality of private water supplies can vary depending on the water source, treatment process used and maintenance of it so if you own or use a private supply, it is important that you are aware of the quality of the supply.

Connecting to the public water supply

If you are considering moving from a private water supply to connecting to the public water supply, further information about the process can be found here.

Click here

If you're struggling to maintain access to running water due to the effects of dry weather spells on your private domestic water supply, there may be support available through your local authority. Please contact them to find out more.

Further useful advice regarding private water supplies can be found on the Scottish Government website.