Livestock support for household customers

We do not provide direct delivery of emergency water supplies for domestic pets or small-scale holdings.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the legal responsibility for ensuring a continuous water supply and contingency plan rests entirely with the owner or person responsible for the animals, regardless of what caused the supply interruption.

For more details, read our policy here(opens in a new tab).

• Commercial livestock operations only: Direct delivery of alternative water provisions (such as tankers or direct bowser drops) is strictly limited to commercial agricultural operations with a minimum of 6 animals kept for agricultural purposes (e.g., food production, materials, or commercial breeding).
• Domestic pets (not supported for delivery): Any animal kept primarily for domestic companionship and pleasure - including dogs, cats, small caged birds, domestic rodents, and domestic horses not used for farming - is classified as a pet and is not eligible for emergency water deliveries.
• Small-scale holdings (not supported for delivery): Any combination of livestock and/or pet animals where the total count is 5 or fewer is deemed a small-scale or domestic holding. Owners of these holdings are expected to maintain sufficient contingency storage.

While we do not deliver water directly to your property for pets or small holdings, during a prolonged supply interruption, we will establish livestock filling points in affected areas. This will facilitate the collection of bulk water supplies and bottled water by owners who can transport it themselves.

Because public water main continuity cannot be guaranteed during unforeseen events like mains bursts or power cuts, keeping an emergency plan and backup storage is essential to safeguard animal welfare.

1. Store Emergency Water

• For domestic pets: Always keep a multi-day supply of emergency bottled water stored at home specifically for your pets.
• For small holdings (5 or fewer animals): Because the total daily volume required for 5 or fewer animals is low enough to handle with standard equipment, you can easily prepare a 1- to 5-day reserve using a single reconditioned "food-grade" 1,000-litre IBC container.

2. Invest in Portable Water Carriers

• If you need to collect water from a dedicated livestock filling point during an outage, ensure you have accessible transport methods. Small towable bowsers or a standard pickup truck/trailer equipped with an IBC tote can be used to transport quantities safely.

3. Utilise rainwater harvesting

• Installing simple gutter systems and storage tanks (such as a 50-gallon polytank) on small sheds or outbuildings is an effective, cost-conscious way to capture and maintain a backup water supply for non-domestic animals.

4. Temporary dietary adjustments

• During a short-term water crisis, consider reducing the dry matter in your animals' feed (for example, swapping dry concentrates for silage). This can slightly lower their immediate thirst and fluid intake demands until supply is restored.

To read our statutory obligations, commercial criteria, and how we support the wider agricultural sector, have a look at our dedicated section on our website.