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Notice of Regulation: Discolouration

Completion Date: 30/04/2026
Ref: BRL-2021-00003

NOTICE UNDER REGULATION 28(4) OF THE WATER SUPPLY (WATER QUALITY) REGULATIONS 2016 (AS AMENDED)

Bristol Water Plc: Discolouration

Reference: BRL-2021-00003

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Bristol Water Plc, with registered number 02662226(hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets affected: Water Supply Zones in Annex 1

  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 19 and 20 May 2021 which states 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:

Hazard/Hazardous

Event/Parameter

Description of Risks

Aluminium

Consumer Acceptability (discolouration)

Iron

Consumer Acceptability (discolouration)

Manganese

Consumer Acceptability (discolouration)

Turbidity

Consumer Acceptability (discolouration)

Discolouration

Consumer Acceptability (discolouration)

  1. The Company are required to satisfy the following:

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:
    Date: 31 March 2022
    • Treatment works
    • Service Reservoirs
    • Trunk mains
    • Zonal network
  2. 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:
    Date: Annually for the duration of the notice
    • Treatment works
    • Service Reservoirs
    • Trunk mains
    • Zonal network
  3. 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
  4. Develop and keep under review a dynamic programme of work to reduce discolouration contacts in water supply zones listed in Annex 1, utilising the information gathered in (b)3.
    Date: 31 December 2021 and ongoing for the duration of the Notice
  5. Implement the programme of work as identified in (b)3 and (b)4, to achieve the following;
    Date: 31 December 2021 and ongoing for the duration of the Notice
    • 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 in Annex 1 and to reach and overall company contact rate for the defined company Outcome Delivery Incentives (ODI) for Appearance: 0.43 per 1000 population.

(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 section (a) and (b).
    Date: 31 August 2021
  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 water supply zones defined in this Notice, 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:

  1. Provide a progress report annually by 31 January and against the following milestones:
    • Provide the updated discolouration strategy, as stipulated in (b)1.
      Date: 30 April 2022
    • Provide a list of priority zones on an annual basis as indicated in section (b)2.
      Date: Annually by 30 April
    • 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
    • Provide a report on the dynamic programme of work for each zone listed in Annex 1, as specified in (b)4.
      Date: Annually by 30 April
  2. Submit the strategy for auditing he effectiveness of the measures, as specified in (c)1.
    Date: 30 September 2021
  3. Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
    Date: Within 1 month of a revision
  4. Submit a report in the event that any completed measure of this Notice needs to be altered in any way for any reason.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  5. Review the risk assessments for all water supply zones, as specified in (b)2. and subsequently submit a revised regulation 28(1) report.
    Date: Within 1 month of any revision
  6. Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
    Date: 30 April 2026
  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
Laura Moss
Deputy Chief Inspector, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
3 June 2021
Reference: BRL-2021-00003
Version 1