Notice under regulation 9(4) of the water supply (water quality) regulations 2016 (as amended)
Regulatory monitoring of water supplies
Notice Ref: IWN-2023-00002
This notice is made by the Drinking Water Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, under regulation 9(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’). It takes effect from 1 January 2023 and supersedes all previous notices issued under this regulation. It will expire on 1 January 2029, unless otherwise revoked, varied, or withdrawn under regulation 9(7)(d) or (9) of the Regulations.
Part 4 (regulations 5 to 10) of the Regulations relates to the monitoring by water companies of parameters specified in Schedules 1 and 2 in the water they supply.
Regulation 9(4) provides that the Secretary of State may, in respect of any supplies of water by a water company to a water supply zone, treatment works, supply points or a service reservoir, give the water company written notice of any variation of:
- the parameters subject to sampling (by the omission or addition of parameters);
- the number of samples which the water company must take in the period specified in the notice.
The Secretary of State may give such a notice (under paragraph (4)) upon application by a water company where paragraph (8) applies and:
- a risk assessment complying with this regulation (see paragraph (11)) has been undertaken and indicates that no factor can be reasonably anticipated to be likely to cause deterioration of the quality of the water;
- in the case where the water company seeks to cease monitoring a particular parameter, the results from samples taken in respect of the parameter collected at regular intervals over a period of at least three years are all at less than 30% of the parametric value of the parameter; and
- in the case where the water company seeks to reduce the frequency of monitoring in respect of a particular parameter, the results from samples taken in respect of that parameter collected at regular intervals over a period of at least three years are all at less than 60% of the parametric value of the parameter.
Based on the historical compliance sample data and additional information submitted by Independent Water Networks, the Secretary of State is satisfied that the water supplied from the sites listed in the Schedule to the Notice (“the Schedule”) contains levels sufficiently below the PCV specified within Schedule 1 and 2 to the Regulations.
Accordingly, for the period the Notice has effect, Independent Water Networks may either be authorised to cease or reduce monitoring for the sites and parameters as set out within the Schedule accompanying this Notice.
Pursuant to regulation 9(9) of the Regulations, the Secretary of State must, by further notice in writing, withdraw this notice if they believe that any parameter in the water supply to which the notice relates contravenes the prescribed concentration or value or is likely to do so. A notice may otherwise be revoked or varied by the Secretary of State under regulation 9(7)(d).
In the event that this notice is withdrawn under regulation 9(7)(d) or 9(9) of the Regulations, Independent Water Networks must monitor the relevant parameter in accordance with Tables 2 and 3 in Schedule 3 to the Regulations.
Signed
Marcus Rink
Chief Inspector of Drinking Water, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
19 December 2023
Ref: IWN-2023-00002