South West Water Limited – Northcombe Chlorine Contact Tank Enabling Works
Notice under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended)
Version Number: 1
Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): South West Water Limited, with registered number 02366665 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).
Assets Affected:
- Northcombe Water Treatment Works – T3822F
- Northcombe Supply System – Y3822
Details of this Notice:
- The Drinking Water Inspectorate (‘the Inspectorate’) has received various regulation 28(1) reports of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’) from the Company dated 12 January 2024 and 11 November 2024, which state that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Northcombe Water Treatment Works (and associated assets as applicable) that could constitute a potential danger to human health or could be unwholesome.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
To address the potential risks of ingress and microbial re-growth. | C001 Total coliforms (confirmed) | 31768 |
To address the potential risks of ingress and microbial re-growth. | C002 E. coli (confirmed) | 11917 |
To address the potential risks of ingress and microbial re-growth. | C003 Enterococci (confirmed) | 11916 |
To address the potential risks of ingress and microbial re-growth. | C007 Colony counts after 3 days at 22c | 11914 |
To address the potential risks of ingress and microbial re-growth. | C009 Residual disinfectant – free | 34318 |
To address the potential risks of ingress and microbial re-growth. | C010 Residual disinfectant – total | 34828 |
- 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:
- Operate the asset in accordance with current company policy, standards and procedures aligning recognised standards of good practice. To include:
- The maintenance of a proactive inspection and cleaning programme including a robust integrity testing procedure (roof inundation and independent observation).
- The Maintenance of proactive external inspections, grounds maintenance, site security and asset maintenance including the periodic inspection of hatches, seals, redundant assets, sample taps, overflows, washouts, and air valves.
- The maintenance of suitable records of remedial work completed.
- The escalation of all issues that present a risk to water quality.
- Keep under review residual chlorine concentrations to ensure appropriate set points and trigger values are in place to prevent a deterioration of drinking water quality.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
- If ingress is identified:
- Implement immediate mitigation measures to ensure public health is protected.
- Complete any remedial work required at the earliest opportunity.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
- Carry out enhanced monitoring for any tank where a risk to water quality has been identified.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Include as part of the Company’s Drinking Water Safety Plan (DWSP), a risk assessment of the turnover of stored drinking water.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Maintain appropriate contingency plans to ensure drinking water quality and sufficiency can be maintained in the event of a risk associated with drinking water quality, in line with industry good practice.
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:
- Develop a plan and schedule of works (with timescales) to complete the physical internal inspection and any remedial work at Northcombe chlorine contact tank.
Date: 30 April 2025 - Undertake a physical internal inspection, clean and integrity test of Northcombe chlorine contact tank and complete any remedial work required.
Date: 31 March 2026
(c) To audit whether the measures have been effective by the following means:
- Define an audit strategy to monitor the effectiveness of the measures specified in sections (a) and (b).
Date: 30 April 2025 - 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 Northcombe Water Treatment Works , or not to so supply unless the specified conditions below are satisfied:
- 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:
- Provide a progress report annually.
Date: by 31 January each year. - Provide the plan and schedule of works specified in measure (b)1.
Date: 31 May 2025 - Provide the internal inspection report to confirm completion of the physical inspection, cleaning and flood testing of the chlorine contact tank as specified in measure (b)2.
Date: 30 April 2026 - Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
Date: 31 May 2025 - Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
Date: Within 1 month of a revision - 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 - Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
Date: 30 April 2027
Further Details of this Notice:
- Any product or substance used as a result of the requirements in this Notice must comply with regulation 31.
- 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.
- 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).
Nicholas Adjei
Deputy Chief Inspector, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
3 February 2025
Reference: SWB-2024-00009