South Staffordshire Water Plc – Seedy Mill Works Tri-halomethane Improvement Scheme

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

Reference: SST-2024-00003

Version Number: 2

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): South Staffordshire Water Plc, with registered number 02662742 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets Affected:

  1. TSMPWC – Seedy Mill WTW Combined
  2. Y5 Glascote East Supply System
  3. Y7 Hopwas Supply System
  4. Y3 Cannock High 1 Supply System
  5. Y21 Cannock High 2 Supply System
  6. Y23 Glascote West Supply System

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 1 April 2024, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Seedy Mill works (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

Trihalomethane formation

Trihalomethanes

TSMPWC157

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. Operation of Seedy Mill works in accordance with Company policies and procedures, as well as to internally agreed process parameters.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice.
  2. Proactive management of Seedy Mill works and the downstream network, to minimise the formation of trihalomethanes.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice.
  3. Ongoing monitoring of regulatory and enhanced operational sample data for trihalomethanes at the treatment works, storage points and downstream distribution zones.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice.
  4. Optimise the treatment processes at Seedy Mill works, to improve removal of organic carbon.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice.
  5. Continue to maintain the Company’s distribution trihalomethane strategy.
    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. Review and implement enhancements to the Company’s catchment management solutions in the upstream catchment of Seedy Mill works, to reduce trihalomethane precursors.
    Date: 31 March 2026 and ongoing through duration of notice.
  2. Implementation of a site specific trihalomethane strategy for Seedy Mill works.
    Date: 31 August 2025.
  3. Complete the design and review the effectiveness of a new strategic storage facility.
    Date: 31 March 2026.
  4. Confirm the appropriateness of the identified solution for the reduction of trihalomethanes at Seedy Mill works.
    Date: 31 March 2027.
  5. Complete the construction, installation and commissioning of the new strategic storage facility.
    Date: 31 March 2029.
  6. Complete the planning, design and procurement arrangements for the construction of the agreed solution (as applicable) at the treatment works.
    Date: 31 March 2030.
  7. Complete the construction, installation and commissioning of the agreed solution (as applicable) at Seedy Mill works.
    Date: 31 March 2032.

(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 Seedy Mill Water Treatment Works, 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 a report to outline the review and enhancements made to the catchment management solutions, as specified in measure (b)1.
    Date: 30 April 2026.
  3. Provide the site specific trihalomethane strategy for Seedy Mill works, as specified in measure (b)2
    Date: 30 September 2025.
  4. Provide a report outlining the identified solution for the reduction of trihalomethanes at Seedy Mill works, as specified in measure (b)4. Include within this report, the design and effectiveness of the new storage facility, as outlined in measure (b)3.
    Date: 30 April 2027.
  5. Provide a report confirming the completion of the construction, installation and commissioning of the strategic storage facility, as outlined in measure (b)5.
    Date: 30 April 2029.
  6. Provide a report to demonstrate the completion of the planning, design and procurement of the treatment solution, as required in measure (b)6.
    Date: 30 April 2030.
  7. Provide a report to confirm the completion of the construction, installation and commissioning of the agreed treatment solution, as specified in measure (b)7.
    Date: 30 April 2032.
  8. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
    Date: 31 January 2025.
  9. Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
    Date: Within 1 month of a revision.
  10. 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.
  11. Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
    Date: 30 April 2033.

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 November 2024
Reference: SST-2024-00003 v2

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