Northumbrian Water Limited – Horsley and Whittle Dene Works Pesticides

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

Reference: NES-2023-00003

Version Number: 1

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Northumbrian Water Limited, with registered number 02366703 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets Affected:

Asset Name	Reference	Applicable Water Supply Zones
Horsley works	T0700330	N/A
Whittle Dene works	T0700351	N/A
Fontburn Potable Water System 4	YNSZ04	N239 Moorhouses N240 Whitley Bay
Wansbeck Potable Water System 5	YNSZ05	N217 Shotton N222 Peigh Hills N235 Hebron and Ashington N237 Morpeth
Tyneside Potable Water System 6	YNSZ06	All
North Tyne Potable Water System 7	YNSZ07	All
Tyne Valley Potable Water System 3	YNSZ03	N234 Hexham, Allendale and Blackhouse N242 Whittingham

Table 1: List of assets affected and associated reference numbers

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 15 February 2023 and 15 January 2023, which state that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Horsley works and Whittle Dene works (and associated assets as applicable) that could constitute a potential danger to human health or 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
Inability of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) to remove pesticides from the raw water	Propyzamide	NNE_TRE_T0700330_P071_CFH
Carried Forward Hazard	Propyzamide	NNE_TRE_T0700351_P071_CFH

Table 2: Table of the hazards, hazardous events, and/or parameters covered by this Notice, including the Hazard I D numbers and the description of risks.

3. 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. Enhanced monthly monitoring at the final sample point for pesticides at both works.
   Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
2. Annual water quality tests on each of the cells of the GAC media at both Horsley and Whittle Dene works.
   Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
3. Online instruments maintained and calibrated in accordance with documented schedules and company procedures.
   Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
4. Online monitoring and alarms maintained and calibrated in accordance with site specific water quality targets.
   Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
5. GAC contactors operated in accordance with the company’s GAC Contactor Operating and Management Procedure
   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. Develop a plan to replace all GAC media at Horsley and Whittle Dene works.
   Date: 31 March 2024
2. Replace all GAC media at Horsley and Whittle Dene works in accordance with the plan developed in b(1).
   Date: 31 March 2026
3. Develop and implement a long-term carbon management plan for Horsley and Whittle Dene works, identifying the company’s carbon regeneration and replacement strategy, to ensure appropriate mitigation of drinking water quality risks.
   Date: 31 March 2026

(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: 29 February 2024
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 Horsley or Whittle Dene works, 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. The plan identified in b(1) to replace all GAC media at Horsley and Whittle Dene works.
   Date: 30 April 2024
3. Confirmation of the replacement of all carbon at Horsley and Whittle Dene works outlined in b(2).
   Date: 30 April 2026
4. Provide the company’s long-term carbon strategy for Horsley and Whittle Dene works outlined in b(3).
   Date: 30 April 2026
5. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
   Date: 31 March 2024
6. Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
   Date: Within 1 month of a revision
7. 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
8. Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
   Date: 31 May 2027

Further Details of this Notice:

4. Any product or substance used as a result of the requirements in this Notice must comply with regulation 31.
5. 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.
6. 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
12 December 2023
Reference: NES-2023-00003