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Severn Trent Water Limited – Butterhill Plumbosolvency

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

Reference: SVT-2024-00014

Version Number: 1

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Severn Trent Water Limited, with registered number 02366686 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets Affected:

  • T0053 Hob Hill BPS
  • T0054 Hollies BPS
  • ZSF10 Butterhill WQZ

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 29 May 2024, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water within the Butterhill Water Quality 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


Risk of elevated lead concentrations in drinking water from lead pipework within consumers properties.

B007B – Lead

ZSF10-1046-CO-B007B-B007B-0S7

Table 1: 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. Continue to operate Hollies and Hob Hill BPS treatment process to ensure compliance with regulation 26 and regulation 4 of the Regulations.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  2. Enhanced sampling within the zone at a frequency of 36 samples per year for the duration of the notice.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  3. Respond to any exceedance of the PCV or consumer contacts relating to Lead in line with company procedures.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  4. Conduct reactive lead pipe replacement of communication pipes.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  5. Fittings inspections of high-risk public buildings.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  6. Evaluate the contribution of the company’s lead containing materials, including lead communication pipes and brass fittings to the lead risk and take appropriate measures to the reduce the risk to as low as practicable.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  7. Maintain a detailed review of lead performance in the wider zone to determine the effectiveness of long-term mitigation options.

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. Plan and develop the outline design of phosphate dosing for plumbosolvency control to mitigate the long-term lead risk. Confirm appropriateness of solution based on outcomes of measure (a)7.
    Date: 28 February 2025
  2. Complete the detailed design and commence construction of the chosen solution.
    Date: 31 August 2025
  3. Complete the construction, installation and commissioning of the long-term solution.
    Date: 31 December 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 December 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 Hollies and Hob Hill BPS, 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. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
    Date: 31 January 2025
  3. Provide the outline design of the long-term solution to mitigate the lead risk, including plumbosolvency and lead pipe replacement, and confirm the appropriateness of the solution based on outcomes of measure (a)7.
    Date: 31 March 2025
  4. Confirm completion of detailed design and commencement of construction of the chosen solution.
    Date: 30 September 2025
  5. Provide a report detailing the completion of the construction, installation and commissioning of the long-term solution.
    Date: 31 January 2026
  6. Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
    Date: Within 1 month of a revision
  7. 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
  8. Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
    Date: 31 January 2027

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
7 October 2024
Reference: SVT-2024-00014

 

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