South West Water supplies most of Bournemouth (71.5% of its postcodes), and the quality of that water is regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate in England and Wales, per ONS Postcode Directory (May 2026), each postcode placed in the water companies' supply-area boundaries (read 26 September 2026).
Source: ONS Postcode Directory (May 2026), each postcode placed in the water companies' supply-area boundaries — read 26 September 2026Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0Water company boundaries © Water UK, licensed under CC BY 4.0
Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) enforces the UK drinking water quality regulations in England and Wales. Figures it classifies or regulates on this page cover England and Wales only.
The official answer
Bournemouth is supplied by South West Water, whose water is regulated by Drinking Water Inspectorate under the UK drinking water quality regulations.
Source: ONS Postcode Directory (May 2026), each postcode placed in the water companies' supply-area boundaries — read 26 September 2026Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0Water company boundaries © Water UK, licensed under CC BY 4.0
Who supplies Bournemouth
South West Water's supply area (71.5% of the 9,441 live postcodes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole): 6751 postcodes
Source: ONS Postcode Directory (May 2026), each postcode placed in the water companies' supply-area boundaries — read 26 September 2026Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0Water company boundaries © Water UK, licensed under CC BY 4.0
Wessex Water's supply area (27.9% of the 9,441 live postcodes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole): 2642 postcodes
Source: ONS Postcode Directory (May 2026), each postcode placed in the water companies' supply-area boundaries — read 26 September 2026Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0Water company boundaries © Water UK, licensed under CC BY 4.0
On or near the boundary between South West Water and Wessex Water (0.5% of the 9,441 live postcodes in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole): 48 postcodes
Source: ONS Postcode Directory (May 2026), each postcode placed in the water companies' supply-area boundaries — read 26 September 2026Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0Water company boundaries © Water UK, licensed under CC BY 4.0
What South West Water's own figures show
South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2022: 57626 published sample results
Source: South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2022, published on the water industry's shared data portal — dated 20 September 2026, read 20 September 2026South West Water (SWB) Drinking Water Quality © 2025 by South West Water is licensed under CC BY 4.0
South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2023: 59671 published sample results
Source: South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2023, published on the water industry's shared data portal — dated 20 September 2026, read 20 September 2026South West Water (SWB) Drinking Water Quality © 2025 by South West Water is licensed under CC BY 4.0
South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2024: 59356 published sample results
Source: South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2024, published on the water industry's shared data portal — dated 20 September 2026, read 20 September 2026South West Water (SWB) Drinking Water Quality © 2025 by South West Water is licensed under CC BY 4.0
South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2025: 59841 published sample results
Source: South West Water's published drinking water quality results for 2025, published on the water industry's shared data portal — dated 20 September 2026, read 20 September 2026South West Water (SWB) Drinking Water Quality 2025 © 2026 by South West Water is licensed under CC BY 4.0
What an independent test shows
We have not tested Bournemouth’s water ourselves. Nothing on this page is our own measurement. You can have your own supply tested.