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  • Monitoring Water Quality Compliance

    Boy holding a glass of water Boy holding a glass of water
  • Safeguarding your Drinking Water Quality

    Hills with a body of water in the middle Hills with a body of water in the middle
  • Investigating Water Quality Issues

    Girl drinking a glass of water Girl drinking a glass of water

What does the DWQR do?

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland (DWQR) exists to ensure that drinking water in Scotland is safe to drink. There are two types of water supply in Scotland:

Public Water Supply (Scottish Water)

The DWQR:

  • Monitors the quality of water samples taken by Scottish Water
  • Enforces serious breaches of the regulations
  • Checks Scottish Water are taking and analysing samples correctly
  • Inspects Scottish Water’s assets and activities
  • Oversees the quality-driven investment programme
  • Assists consumers where Scottish Water has failed to adequately resolve a complaint

Private Water Supply

The DWQR:

  • Reports on the quality of private water supplies
  • Checks that local authorities are regulating private water supplies in their area
  • Provides guidance and clarification to local authorities

The DWQR also ensures accurate, impartial information is available on drinking water quality in Scotland and promotes the use of robust water science.

Find out more about DWQR and how we work

Information on the Repairing Standard March 2024

If you would like more information on the Housing Repairing Standard for Landlords that is coming into place in March 2024. Please contact the Scottish Government's Central Correspondence Unit at CentralCorrespondenceUnit@gov.scot

Repairing Standard: statutory guidance for private landlords - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)