A spring supply is a provision of
piped mains water to a number of consumers direct from a natural
spring. Spring supplies are therefore a source of
groundwater
Groundwater is the water present beneath Earth's surface in rock and Pore space in soil, soil pore spaces and in the fractures of stratum, rock formations. About 30 percent of all readily available fresh water in the world is groundwater. A unit ...
, which in most instances has fewer micro-organisms (e.g.
coliform bacteria and protozoa such as ''
Giardia
''Giardia'' ( or ) is a genus of anaerobic flagellated protozoan parasites of the phylum Metamonada that colonise and reproduce in the small intestines of several vertebrates, causing the disease giardiasis. Their life cycle alternates be ...
'' and ''
Cryptosporidium
''Cryptosporidium'', sometimes called crypto, is an apicomplexan genus of alveolates which are parasitism, parasites that can cause a respiratory and gastrointestinal illness (cryptosporidiosis) that primarily involves watery diarrhea (inte ...
'') and chemical contaminants than a supply from
surface water
Surface water is water located on top of land, forming terrestrial (surrounding by land on all sides) waterbodies, and may also be referred to as ''blue water'', opposed to the seawater and waterbodies like the ocean.
The vast majority of surfac ...
. The point at which the groundwater reaches the surface is prone to contamination, so must be protected using a structure called a
spring box. This is often surrounded by a fence to keep animals out, with other common features being a ditch on the uphill side, an overflow pipe and a well fitting lid. Spring supplies can range from single property supplies that are privately owned, to large supplies that are managed by water companies and serve entire communities. As with any water supply, a spring supply may need to be treated in order to bring it up to drinking water standards. The method for doing this will vary according to the contaminant, but can include sand
filters
Filtration is a physical process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture.
Filter, filtering, filters or filtration may also refer to:
Science and technology
Computing
* Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming
* Fil ...
, pH balancing units and
ultraviolet light
Ultraviolet radiation, also known as simply UV, is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths of 10–400 nanometers, shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight and constitutes about 10% of th ...
.
[Keeping your private water supply safe, DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE](_blank)
23-05-2013
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Countries
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, over half a million people live or work in a premises that relies on a private water supply such as a spring.
The
Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) of England and Wales produces an annual report on the quality of private water supplies.
See also
*
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Th ...
*
Improved water source
An improved water source (or improved drinking-water source or improved water supply) is a term used to categorize certain types or levels of water supply for monitoring purposes. It is defined as a type of water source that, by nature of its co ...
*
Water well
A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spring Supply
Springs (hydrology)
Water supply infrastructure
Water supply