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South West Water Limited – Discolouration

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

Reference: BRL-2021-00003

Version Number: 5

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:

Priority zones for 2024/5:

  • Z407 Clifton, Horefield, Redland and Kingsdown
  • Z408 Bedminster
  • Z411 Eastville, Easton, Netham and St Philips
  • Z414 Whitchurch, Hengrove, Knowle and Knowle Park
  • Z421 Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Baltonsborough
  • Z420 Cheddar, Wedmore, Brent Knoll and Burnham-On-Sea
  • Z409 Long Ashton, Failand, Bishopsworth and Dundry
  • Z422 Shepton Mallet, Pilton, Oakhill, Wookey Hole and Shipham

Details of this Notice:

  1. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (‘the Inspectorate’) has received a set of regulation 28(1) reports of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’) from the Company dated between 15 June and 14 July 2022, which state that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from water supply zones (and associated assets as applicable) that 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)  

Aluminium 

Multiple risk assessment reports (Annex 1). For example:

Z407Hazard0004

Consumer acceptability (discolouration)  

Iron  

Z407Hazard0019

Consumer acceptability (discolouration)  

Manganese

Z407Hazard0020

Consumer acceptability (discolouration)  

Turbidity  

Z407Hazard0039

Consumer acceptability (discolouration)  

Discolouration

Z407Hazard0040

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. Undertake regulatory and risk-based enhanced monitoring as defined within section (c)1 from treatment works, reservoirs and any water supply zones identified as being at risk of discolouration, including the zones listed within this Notice. 
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this notice
  2. Investigate any failure of a discolouration parameter (Aluminium, Iron, Manganese or Turbidity) and determine root cause.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this notice
  3. Record and monitor customer contacts in appropriate detail and along with water quality data, keep under review to inform the forward programme of work.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this notice
  4. Deliver a programme of proactive investigation and evidence-based intervention on the distribution network, to manage discolouration risks.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this notice
  5. Optimisation of existing treatment processes with particular regard to the removal of Aluminium, Iron and Manganese. 
    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 revise as appropriate the current discolouration strategy to reduce the risk of discoloured water in water supply zones. To include:
    • Treatment works
    • Service Reservoirs
    • Trunk mains
    • Zonal network
      Date: Complete
  1. Review and revise as appropriate the current risk assessment methodology for discolouration, consumer contacts, and consumer acceptability in water supply zones. Using this methodology carry out an annual review for all water supply zones to identify and prioritise high-risk zones for further investigation and input into regulation 27 risk assessments to allow for revision of the notice where appropriate. To include:
    • Treatment works
    • Service Reservoirs
    • Trunk mains
    • Zonal network
      Date: Annually for the duration of this notice
  1. For water supply zones identified in (b)2 carry out investigations to identify and evidence the most appropriate interventions to reduce discolouration contacts.
    Date: 31 December 2021 and ongoing for the duration of the notice
  2. Develop and keep under review a dynamic programme of work to reduce discolouration contacts in water supply zones listed, utilising the information gathered in (b)3.
    Date: 31 December 2021 and ongoing for the duration of the notice
  3. Implement the programme of work as identified in (b)3 and (b)4, to achieve the following:
    • By 2025 a reduction in consumer contacts for discolouration (black/brown/orange) to below the target of 0.8 per 1000 population for the zones listed and to reach an overall company contact rate for the defined company Outcome Delivery Incentives (ODI) for Appearance: 0.43 per 1000 population.
      Date: 31 December 2021 and ongoing for the duration of this notice

(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: Complete
  2. Implement, and keep under continuous review, the audit strategy defined in measure (c)1.
    Date: Following the completion of measure (c)1, onwards

(d) Not to supply water for regulation 4(1) purposes from 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 the updated discolouration strategy, as stipulated in (b)1.
    Date: Complete
  3. Provide a list of priority zones on an annual basis as indicated in section (b)2.
    Date: Annually by 30 April
  4. Provide a report on the investigations and the identified interventions to reduce discolouration contacts in the zones, as specified in (b)3.
    Date: Annually by 30 April
  5. Provide a report on the dynamic programme of work for each zone listed, as specified in (b)4.
    Date: Annually by 30 April
  6. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
    Date: Complete
  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
6 August 2024
Reference: BRL-2021-00003 (v5)

 

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