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Notice of Regulation: Southern Water – Ground Water Treatment Works

Completion Date: 31/03/2026
Ref: SRN 3926

THE WATER SUPPLY (WATER QUALITY) REGULATIONS 2016 (AS AMENDED)

NOTICE UNDER REGULATION 28(4)

SOUTHERN WATER SERVICES LTD : GROUND WATER TREATMENT WORKS

All groundwater treatment works in the Southern Water supply area

DWI Reference: SRN 3926

THE SECRETARY OF STATE:

  1. has received a set of reports from Southern Water (the “company”) on the 17 October 2019 (the “Reports”) which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Ground Water Treatment Works that could constitute a potential danger to human health and could be unwholesome.
  2. GIVES NOTICE to the company under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) that it must satisfy the following requirements:

For risks associated with:

  • Pathogenic bacteria (e.g. E. coli & Enterococci)
  • Pathogenic protozoa (e.g. Cryptosporidium)
  • Nitrate
  • No Supply
  • Lead
  • Hydrocarbons (e.g. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (6 substances)
  • Other Chemical (e.g. Manganese, Iron)
  • Other Chemical Public health
  • Metals
  • Turbidity
  • Treatment By-products (e.g. Tetrachloromethane (Total))
  • Pesticides (eg. Pesticides Aldrin)
  • Taste and Odour compounds

Requirements

(a) to maintain the following measures for the period specified in each case:

  1. Ensure all water quality related, scheduled operational and maintenance tasks are carried out at the current prescribed schedule.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.
  2. Ensure that any new risk identified is assessed in accordance with the drinking water safety plan methodology.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.
  3. Ensure that treatment works start-up protocols are followed when restarting each site.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.
  4. Ensure that the existing site specific disinfection policies are annually reviewed and kept up to date with existing alarm and shutdown levels.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.
  5. Ensure the treatment works control and shutdown systems are operational and that all monitors are calibrated at the predefined frequencies.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.
  6. Continue to track borehole headworks condition and risk via the borehole headworks database and drinking water safety plan.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.
  7. Use site specific procedures where appropriate, including manual intervention or run to waste.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.
  8. Issue advice to consumers, where required, of improperly disinfected water.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Notice.

(b) to review, revise and/or make operational the following measures, by the date specified below:

  1. Carryout mitigation of regulatory risk statements as identified in the attached appendix A tab GW actions:
    • Completion of all Phase 1 actions as detailed in annex A.Date: 31/03/2022
    • Completion of all Phase 2 actions as detailed in annex A.
      Date: 31/03/2022
    • Completion of all Phase 3 actions as detailed in annex A.
      Date: 31/03/2023
    • Completion of all Phase 4 actions as detailed in annex A.
      Date: 31/03/2024
    • Completion of all Phase 5 actions as detailed in annex A.
      Date: 31/03/2025
    • Completion of all Phase 6 actions as detailed in annex A.
      Date: 31/03/2025
  2. Put in place interim mitigation for Lower risk severity regulatory risk statements as identified in the attached Appendix B.
    Date: 31/03/2021
  3. Provide confirmation of dates for completion of solutions for Lower risk severity regulatory risk statements as identified in the attached Appendix B.
    Date: 31/03/2022
  4. Complete solutions of Lower risk severity regulatory risk statements as identified in attached Appendix B.
    Date: 31/03/2025

(c) to audit whether the measures have been effective by the following means:

  1. Define a strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures made operational above, to include Confirmation of works completion at each Phase, an annual audit of operator and maintenance tasks completed at each works.
    Date: Within 2 months of the issue of this Notice.
  2. Implement and keep under continuous review, the audit strategy defined in (c)1.
    Date: For the duration of the Notice.

(d) not to supply water for regulation 4(1) purposes from TREATMENT WORKS OR SUPPLY SYSTEMS

  1. not applicable unless otherwise stated in a site-specific Regulation 28(4) Notice

(e) to provide the following information in the time and manner specified below to enable monitoring of progress towards the mitigation of the risk of supplying water that would constitute a potential danger to human health:

  1. Provide a progress reports against for the following milestones:
    • Provide biannually progress reports by 31 January and 31 July, confirming the progress of actions (b)1.
      Date: For the duration of the notice
    • Provide a report detailing the audit strategy.
      Date: 31/10/2020
    • Provide a report detailing interim mitigation in place for Lower risk severity regulatory risk statements as specified in (b)2.
      Date: 31/04/2021
    • Provide a report confirming the dates of completion for solutions for Lower risk severity regulatory risk statements as specified in (b)3.
      Date: 31/04/2022
    • Provide a report confirming the completion of solutions for Lower severity risk regulatory risk statements as specified in (b)4.
      Date: 31/04/2025
  2. Review the risk assessment for Ground Water Treatment works as required by regulation 27(3) and subsequently submit a revised regulation 28 report accompanied by a signed board level declaration.
    Date: As required during the Notice and within 2 months of the completion of all work for each WSW.
  3. Submit a satisfactory completion report.
    Date: 31/03/2026

Failure by the company to comply with this Notice may result in enforcement proceedings under section 18 of the Water Industry Act 1991.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State
Milo Purcell
Deputy Chief Inspector
16 November 2020
DWI Reference: SRN 3926
Version 4