New rules which could see farmers paying up to £600 a year for compulsory testing of private water supplies are too expensive and too heavy‐handed, Paul Davies AM has told a public meeting.

More than 50 farmers and smallholders packed a public meeting held in Bwlch‐y‐groes last week to discuss the proposed change in legislation.

Under a European Council Directive local councils will be given wide‐ranging powers to enter farmhouses, using force if necessary, to test private water supplies and to then pass the costs on to farmers.

"If these new rules are brought in then it could cost farmers up to £600 a year for the visit, the testing and the risk assessment," said Preseli Pembrokeshire AM, Mr Davies.

"That's before the cost of any improvements that may be required to the water supply.

"There was a great deal of concern expressed at the meeting about the cost to farmers of this new legislation and also the threatening manner in which it may be carried out," said Mr Davies.

The Private Water Supplies (Wales) Regulations 2009 aims to determine whether water is wholesome and clean or a risk to human health. Local Authorities will be allowed to charge fees of between £75 and £435 to carry out the monitoring as well as up to £100 for each risk assessment and up to £80 for each sampling visit. And if the water quality fails to meet standards, the owner will be forced to pay for improvements.

Mr Davies has made a submission to the Welsh Assembly Government for its consultation paper on the directive and has made it clear that he is in favour of testing private water supplies if it is used to make food or drink for public consumption.

"However, I am at a loss as to the point of imposing these regulations on farmers for their ordinary domestic usage in the farmhouse when they are not being imposed on non‐farming domestic users," he said.

As well as concern about the costs of the tests, he also highlighted fears about the far‐reaching powers that local councils will be given to carry them out.

"I am very worried about the plans to give local authorities the power to enter premises using force and to seize documents," he said.

"The proposed regulations seem very heavy handed and unnecessary."