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South East Water Limited – Cuckfield WSZ Discolouration

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

Reference: SEW-2024-00003

Version Number: 1

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): South East Water Limited, with registered number 02679874 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets Affected:

Asset Name

Reference

Cuckfield WSZ

Z018

Table 1: List of assets affected and associated reference numbers

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 February 2024, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Cuckfield Water Supply Zone (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/ Hazardous Event/ Parameter

Hazard I D

Consumer acceptability (Discolouration)

Discolouration (H057)

Z018-DISTRIBUTION-H057

Wholesomeness of water

Iron (A022)

Z018-DISTRIBUTION-A022

Table 2: Table of the hazards, hazardous events, and/or parameters covered by this Notice, including the Hazard I D numbers 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. Undertake risk-based enhanced (in addition to routine regulatory sampling) sampling, for iron, turbidity and manganese, from Cuckfield Water Supply Zone (WSZ) and the associated treatment works and reservoirs.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  2. Maintain measures within the Cuckfield WSZ to reduce discolouration risk (such as aggressivity control, asset maintenance, calm valve operations, flow/pressure control, mains remediation and replacement and operator training).
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  3. Liaison with local and public health authorities as appropriate.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  4. Review and update as necessary the regulation 27 risk assessment and corresponding regulation 28(1) risk assessment reports for Cuckfield WSZ as per the Company’s procedures.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  5. Deliver a programme of proactive and reactive flushing work within Cuckfield WSZ, based on consumer contacts and discolouration risk.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  6. Continue with the fortnightly flushing activity for the relevant mains in Turners Mill Road.
    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:

  1. Complete the detailed design of the mains replacement scheme for Turners Mill Road.
    Date: 31 July 2024
  2. Complete the installation and commissioning of the Turners Mill Road distribution mains replacement scheme.
    Date: 31 December 2024
  3. Undertake sampling of customer properties supplied by new mains in Turners Mill Road to demonstrate compliance with the Regulatory standard.
    Date: 31 January 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: 31 August 2024
  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 Cuckfield Water Supply Zone, 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 report confirming the design of the mains replacement scheme for Turners Mill Road as per measure b(1).
    Date: 31 August 2024
  2. Provide a report confirming the completion of the installation and commissioning of the Turners Mill Road distribution mains replacement scheme as per measure (b)2.
    Date: 31 January 2025
  3. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
    Date: 30 September 2024
  4. Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
    Date: Within 1 month of a revision
  5. 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
  6. Submit a satisfactory completion report including the outcome of the sampling completed following the mains replacement scheme and an assessment of customer contacts, accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
    Date: 31 August 2025

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
26 June 2024
Reference: SEW-2024-00003

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