Your Water Leaves the Treatment Works Clean. What Happens Next?

You turn on the kitchen tap, fill a glass and drink. The water left the treatment works meeting strict standards. But before it reached your glass, it travelled through miles of public mains and then through the pipes inside your own home.

That last stretch is the part you can actually do something about. Here’s what the evidence says about Britain’s water pipes, what it means for your tap, and where home filtration genuinely helps.

A network built for another century

Around 60% of water mains in England and Wales were built before 1981, and about 13% are known to be over 100 years old.[1]

Replacement is slow. During the first four years of the 2020–25 regulatory period, mains were replaced at an average of just 0.14% a year.[2] At that pace, renewing the whole network would take roughly 700 years (100% ÷ 0.14% ≈ 714).

That isn’t a forecast. The long-run average since privatisation has been higher, and Ofwat’s 2025–30 settlement expects companies to replace over 8,000 km of mains.[3] But it shows the scale of the task: the network keeps ageing while the work goes on.

So is your tap water safe?

For most homes, yes. The Drinking Water Inspectorate reported that England’s public drinking water met regulatory standards in 99.97% of tests in 2025.[4] Old mains don’t automatically mean unsafe water.

The bigger variable is often closer to home. The pipes between the street and your tap belong to the property, not the water company. In older homes, these can include lead pipework, which the DWI warns can introduce lead into drinking water.[5]

If you suspect lead pipes or notice a change in your water, contact your water supplier first. A filter is not a substitute for fixing a plumbing fault. But it can add a final layer of treatment at the point you actually drink from.

Who gets the most from a home filter?

A filter isn’t essential for everyone. It’s most worthwhile if any of these sound like you:

• You live in an older home. Properties built before about 1970 are more likely to have lead or older internal pipework.[5]
• You don’t like the taste or smell. Chlorine and hard-water tastes put many people off drinking from the tap.
• You buy bottled water. Filtered water straight from your kitchen tap means fewer trips to carry heavy packs home, and far less single-use plastic.
• You want peace of mind. You’d rather know exactly what’s happening at the last step before you drink.

How Cebilon systems work

Aura Cebilon systems use multi-stage reverse osmosis filtration. Depending on the model, water passes through:[6]

1. Sediment filtration, which captures suspended particles
2. Carbon filtration, which reduces chlorine-related tastes and odours
3. An RO membrane, which reduces a range of dissolved substances
4. Final conditioning before it reaches your glass

Every Cebilon includes a mineralising final filter. There are four systems to choose from:

System	Where it sits	What it offers
Cebilon Silver	Under the sink	Straightforward everyday filtration, 8-litre tank, no electricity needed
Cebilon Pro	Under the sink	Adds a digital display, filter-life monitoring, leak protection and system alerts
Cebilon Sapphire	On the worktop	Filtered water hot (85°C or above), cold (10°C or below) and ambient
Cebilon Diamond	Freestanding	Filtered water hot (85°C or above), cold (10°C or below) and ambient

Results depend on the system, your incoming water and regular filter changes. You can view Aura’s quality certificates and independent analysis reports on our certificates page.

What our customers say

“Aura Pro has completely improved the taste of our water. The installation team was professional, friendly, and very efficient.” — H.K., London

“Since installing Aura Pro, our water tastes noticeably cleaner and fresher. The whole experience felt professional from start to finish.” — H.C., London

“After installing Aura Pro at home, I also got one for two family members. Excellent water quality and hassle-free setup each time.” — O.Y., Ipswich

Read more testimonials

Not sure which system fits your home? Book a free demonstration and an Aura Advisor will talk you through it.

See it working in your own kitchen

The easiest way to know if a filter suits your household is to see one working and ask your own questions. Our demonstrations are free, personalised and take around 30 to 40 minutes, either in your home or virtually over Google Meet. Your Aura Advisor will:

• explain how reverse osmosis works and what each Cebilon system offers
• compare the options against your household’s water use, space and budget
• talk through installation, filter maintenance and ongoing care
• for in-home visits, discuss your kitchen layout and water testing where useful

There’s no obligation to buy and no pressure to decide on the day. Family members are welcome to join.

Book your free demonstration · Compare Cebilon systems

Sources

1. National Engineering Policy Centre — Reviving our ageing infrastructure
2. National Audit Office — Regulators have failed to deliver a trusted and resilient water sector
3. Ofwat — PR24 final determinations sector summary
4. Drinking Water Inspectorate — Chief Inspector’s Annual Report 2025 England
5. Drinking Water Inspectorate — Lead in drinking water