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Yorkshire Water Services Limited – Sheffield Discolouration

Notice under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended)

Reference: YKS-2022-00004

Version Number: 1.1

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Yorkshire Water Services Limited, with registered number 02366682 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets Affected:

  • Z3800619 Aughton Wsz
  • Z3805019 Manor Wsz
  • Z3805519 Moonshine Wsz
  • Z3806019 Norton Sheffield Wsz
  • Z3807319 Sheffield Grenoside Wsz
  • Z3807519 Rotherham and Tinsley Wsz

Details of this Notice:

  1. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (‘the Inspectorate’) has received a regulation 28(1) report of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’) from the Company dated 21 October 2021, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Various water supply zones (and associated assets as applicable) that could constitute a potential danger to human health or could be unwholesome.
  2. Consequently, this Notice is served on the Company by the Inspectorate on behalf of the Secretary of State, under regulation 28(4) for the assets listed above, for risks associated with:

Description of Risk

Hazard/

Notified Water Quality Events occurring due to issues due to presence of discolouration material in Trunk mains (DOMS)

Iron (total)

Notified Water Quality Events occurring due to issues due to presence of discolouration material in Trunk mains (DOMS)

Manganese (total)

Notified Water Quality Events occurring due to issues due to presence of discolouration material in Trunk mains (DOMS)

Turbidity

Table 1: Table of the hazards and the description of risks.
  1. The Company are required to satisfy the following requirements.

The date given is that until or by which the requirements must be maintained or satisfied, as appropriate.

Requirements:

(a) To maintain the following measures for the period specified in each case:

  1. Operate and maintain the mains network in the named Water Supply Zones in accordance with company policies in order to minimise impact on consumers
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  2. Optimise water treatment works that feed into the named zones, for the above, named parameters.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  3. Ensure proactive water quality risk assessments are completed prior to initiating planned and unplanned network operations, in line with company procedures. Manual sample results should support the ongoing activity on a risk assessed basis.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  4. Trunk main risk is reviewed in line with the Company’s drinking water safety plan methodology, and ongoing conditioning activities are utilised to mitigate risks to consumers.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  5. Carry out near miss investigations into any instance of more than 12 contacts in 24 hours from consumers regarding discolouration in connected mains systems named in this notice.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice

(b) To review, revise or make operational the following measures, by the dates specified in each case:

Trunk Main Segments
  1. Carry out an investigation to confirm the discolouration risk status of trunk main segments in the named Water Supply Zones and Water Quality monitors. Consideration should additionally be given for mains age, size, material, operational regime, network pressure and flow changes.
    Date: 28 February 2023
  2. Review outputs from (b)1 and develop detailed action plan to ensure elevated risk is reduced in trunk main segments.
    Date: 31 May 2023
  3. Following the outputs of (b)1 and (b)2 implement remedial activities in order to reduce risk of all trunk main segments.
    Date: 31 December 2024
District Metered Areas
  1. Carry out an investigation to confirm the discolouration risk status of District metered areas (DMAs) in the named Water Supply Zones.
    Date: 28 February 2023
  2. Review outputs from (b)4 and develop detailed action plan to ensure elevated risk is reduced in DMAs in the named water supply zones.
    Date: 31 May 2023
  3. Following the outputs of (b)4 and (b)5, implement remedial activities in order to reduce risk of all DMAs in the named water supply zones.
    Date: 31 March 2025

(c) To audit whether the measures have been effective by the following means:

  1. Define an audit strategy to monitor the effectiveness of the measures specified in sections (a) and (b).
    Date: Date – add date 2 months after notice issue date
  2. Implement, and keep under continuous review, the audit strategy defined in measure (c)1.
    Date: Following completion of measure (c)1. onwards.

(d) Not to supply water for regulation 4(1) purposes from various water supply zones or not to so supply unless the specified conditions below are satisfied:

  1. Not Applicable

(e) To provide the following information in the time and manner specified below to enable monitoring of progress towards the mitigation of the risks:

  1. Provide a progress report annually.
    Date: by 31 January each year.
  2. Provide detailed action plan as detailed in (b)2
    Date: 30 June 2023
  3. Submit zonal trunk main completion report for action (b)3
    Date: 1 month after completion of named zone or by 31 January 2025
  4. Provide detailed action plan as detailed in (b)5
    Date: 30 June 2023
  5. Submit DMA report for action (b)6.
    Date: 1 month after completion of all DMA’s within zone or 30 April 2025
  6. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
    Date: Date – add date 3 months after notice issue date
  7. Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
    Date: Within 1 month of a revision
  8. Submit a report in the event that any completed measures of this Notice need to be altered in any way, for any reason.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  9. Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
    Date: 30 April 2026

Further Details of this Notice:

  1. Any product or substance used as a result of the requirements in this Notice must comply with regulation 31.
  2. Under regulation 28(6) the Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, may by notice served on the Company, revoke or vary this Notice.
  3. Failure by the Company to comply with this Notice may result in enforcement proceedings under section 18 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended).

Signed

Nicholas Adjei
Deputy Chief Inspector, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
14 October 2022
Reference: YKS-2022-00004

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