Pendle Council has reminded residents who have a private water supply to ensure they maintain it, so it is fit for human consumption.

The warning comes after the council successfully took a resident to court after she failed to provide water fit for human consumption from a private supply.

On May 23, Nicola Flanagan, 55, pleaded guilty to two counts related to a failure to ensure the cleanliness of her water supply.

Flanagan ha failed to appear at her first hearing at Burnley Magistrates' in November 2023 and a hearing was finally held at Blackburn Magistrates' Court on May 23.

Flanagan, of Greenbank, Trawden, was handed a six-month conditional discharge after she admitted she had not installed an appropriate treatment system to remove or reduce E. coli to within limits in the regulations.

She additionally had to pay £450 worth of costs and a £26 surcharge to fund victim services.

Councillor Asjad Mahmood, Leader of Pendle Council, said: “Under the Private Water Supplies Regulations all springs which serve more than one property must be risk assessed and tested to make sure the water is safe to drink.

“We have a duty to ensure that people are not putting themselves and others at risk.”

Flanagan first received a notice in November 2021 after a water sample was taken which failed to reach the required standards, containing bacteria including E. coli – which can cause serious stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.

 She was then informed all properties which did not have water treatment required them have a suitable system installed within two months.

The council then made multiple attempts to contact the defendant to confirm whether it had been installed but all attempts failed.

In January 2023 a warrant was obtained to enter the property and it was confirmed that there was no suitable water treatment system.

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, who oversees housing, health and wellbeing in Pendle, said: “We are obliged to inspect the water supply and there are good reasons why the regulations are in place.

“We will do all we can to work with residents before formal action is taken but as this case highlights, occasionally we do need to take severe formal action.”