Jon CuthillEnvironment correspondent, BBC South
BBC
Tasting drinking water follows strict protocols including the exact temperature it can be tested at
Row upon row of wine glasses are lined up on tables in a room where the walls and ceiling are painted white.
They stand on black mats with wires trailing to digital displays that show 25C.
Each and every glass contains a level sample of water with a small disc resting on top to seal in the odour.
Welcome to the world of water tasting.
“I guess it’s very like wine tasting,” explains the head of water quality for South East Water, Neil Hudson, at the laboratory in Farnborough, Hampshire.
“We use wine glasses – that collects the odour in the top of the glass.
“Before you do the tasting you do the odour first to get an idea of what the scent of the water is if there is any.”
The panel of testers are not allowed any distractions while the smell and taste of each sample is assessed
Before being poured, the chlorine used in the treatment of the drinking water is removed and the water warmed to an exact 25C – the perfect temperature to release the odour and sample the taste.
“What most people think water should taste like is where they’ve been brought up because it does have a different taste,” Mr Hudson said.
A panel of three taste testers work through the water samples, noting odours and flavours.
I’m asked not to film the actual testing in case my camera is a distraction to the exacting process.
The head of water quality for South East Water, Neil Hudson, says the laboratory will process up to two million tests a year
The water tasting is just one part of the around-the-clock testing taking place at the recently expanded laboratories in Farnborough.
Hundreds of samples from water sources, treatment and customer’s taps arrive every day to be checked for quality and contamination.
According to the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s latest report, 99.97% of drinking water in England meets the expected standards.
But when things go wrong it makes headline news.
The coastal town of Brixham, Devon, was at the centre of a cryptosporidium outbreak in May 2024
South West Water has been issued a court summons after an investigation into a parasite outbreak in the waters supply in Brixham, Devon.
More than 100 cases of cryptosporidiosis were linked to the outbreak, which caused sickness and diarrhoea, in May 2024.
South West Water said it had “co-operated fully with the Drinking Water Inspectorate from the outset of this incident to help in its investigations” and would “reflect on this summons”.
The BBC understands the outbreak contributed to a near £40m bill for South West Water owner Pennon.
Richard Brown, laboratory manager for South East Water, said testing was fundamental to public health
Back in Farnborough South East Water has just expanded its laboratory services and has a new contract to test drinking water for Southern Water.
Testing is carried out around the clock, every day, including Christmas Day.
“There are bacterias we are looking for,” explains Laboratory Manager Richard Brown.
“There are chemicals, there are metals. Pesticides in this lab here.
“Quite a few determinands that we are trying to make sure that aren’t in the water.”
But away from the biology and chemistry there are some elements of testing that computers just can’t handle.
You just need a decent nose for it.