Tap water tips for university students

WaterSafe, the national register of approved plumbers, is sharing five tips students need to know before they move into student accommodation this month.

These tips will help ensure students’ water supplies are high quality, help them stay on top of their bills, and give them the know-how to deal with leaks and bursts.

1.  If you’re responsible for paying the water bill, find out who the local water supplier is, take a meter reading and set up an account with them - this can often be done online any time of day or night

2. Make sure you know where your internal stop tap is, so you can quickly turn the water off if you find a leaking or burst pipe (watch our short video to find out how)

3. Keep the name and number of a WaterSafe-approved emergency plumber handy, or ask your landlord if they have one in mind, just in case of an urgent problem

4. Whether you’re looking to save money on your water bill or leave more water in the environment, you may be eligible for free water-saving devices via the Get Water Fit or Save Water Save Money websites

5. Ask your landlord or university if they have completed a Legionella risk assessment - while rare, it is possible to contract Legionnaires’ disease by inhaling water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria. Legionella and other micro-organisms can grow when properties are out of use for several weeks or months – such as during the summer break.

Julie Spinks, Director at WaterSafe said: “Going to university for the first time, or returning in subsequent years, is an exciting time.

“We know that your water supply may not be top of your agenda, but following these five simple tips will help keep you and your housemates healthy and allow you to manage your bills and find an approved plumber, should you need one.

“These tips can be followed when you first move in, or even before, leaving you to enjoy everything university has to offer for the rest of the academic year.”

For help and advice visit our student tap water tips page.