Bulk imports from Essex and Suffolk Water

WATER INDUSTRY ACT 1991 (as amended): SECTION 19(1)(b)

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD, AND RURAL AFFAIRS:

1) is satisfied that Anglian Water Services Limited “the Company” in supplying water in water supply zones receiving BULK IMPORTS of water orginating from Layer and Langham Water Treatment Works operated by Essex and Suffolk Water which may be at risk of exceeding the standards for metaldehyde and total pesticides. This means that the Company is likely to contravene its duty in respect of supplying water which meets the Regulations under Section 68(1)(a) of the Water Industry Act 1991 and meets the requirement set in regulation 4(2)(c) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended).

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2) notes that Anglian Water Services Limited has on 24 June 2020 given a new undertaking (DWI Ref No: ANH-2020-00005) under the provisions of paragraph 2(b) of the previous undertakings given on 22 July 2014 (DWI Ref no: ANG3384) to replace the undertaking and take the following steps by the dates shown:

Steps to be taken

• Ensure that metaldehyde has been assessed as a hazard as part of the Regulation 28 Risk Assessment for the supply systems supplied by Essex and Suffolk Water’s Layer WTW and Langham WTW, according to a Drinking Water Safety Plan approach.
  Date: Ongoing
• Implement an enhanced monitoring strategy to supplement current regulatory monitoring.
  Date: Ongoing as necessary, for the duration of this Undertaking
• Report regulatory exceedences of the standards for the metaldehyde and total pesticides parameters to DWI as part of the current monthly exception reporting process.
  Date: Ongoing as necessary, for the duration of this Undertaking
• Medium term measures
  • Continue to monitor water quality in the zones supplied from the above-named bulk imports.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Undertaking
  • Liaise with Essex and Suffolk Water to exchange data and to discuss progress with measures being taken to secure compliance with the metaldehyde and total pesticide parameter at the above-named WTWs.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Undertaking
• Long term measures:
  • Continually appraise the risk of metaldehyde and the total pesticides parameters as hazards in raw waters as part of the regulation 27 Risk Assessment for the supply system(s) associated with Essex and Suffolk’s Layer and Langham WTWs according to a Drinking Water Safety Plan approach. Ensure that Regulation 28 documents are regularly reviewed and updates provided as appropriate.
    Date: Ongoing
• Reporting:
  Provide DWI with reports on progress with carrying out the steps set out in the undertaking.
  Reports to include at least the following details:
  • Metaldehyde monitoring data for the zones listed in the Annex;
    Date: Annually for the duration of the Undertaking. Reporting periods are Jan – Dec. Reports to be submitted by 31 Jan each year that the Undertaking is in place, (except for Jan 2025)
  • Details of contacts made with the supplying water company concerning the actions that company is undertaking to address the risk of metaldehyde in the water supplied;
    Date: Annually for the duration of the Undertaking. Reporting periods are Jan – Dec. Reports to be submitted by 31 Jan each year that the Undertaking is in place, (except for Jan 2025)
  • Any other relevant information.
    Date: Annually for the duration of the Undertaking. Reporting periods are Jan – Dec. Reports to be submitted by 31 Jan each year that the Undertaking is in place, (except for Jan 2025)
• Provide a final report to DWI on the outcome of the activities undertaken by Essex & Suffolk Water at Langham WTW and Layer WTW, the solutions implemented and the conclusions drawn from other work carried out as part of this Undertaking. Include, as evidence for closure for this scheme, appropriate documentation to confirm that the actions set out in this schedule of work have been completed and the extent to which the required outcomes have been achieved.
  Date: When there is sufficient evidence of suitable mitigation of the risk (i.e. 3 years samples below 0.1ug/l and evidence of stable or decreasing raw water trends) or by 31st March 2025

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3) is satisfied that Anglian Water Services Limited has given and is complying with an undertaking to take all such steps as appear to the Secretary of State for the time being to be appropriate to secure or facilitate compliance with the requirement of regulation 4(2)(c) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended).

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Authorised by the Secretary of State to sign in that behalf:
Milo Purcell
Deputy Chief Inspector
Drinking Water Inspectorate
DWI Ref No: ANH-2020-00005
26 June 2020