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Portsmouth Water Limited – Itchen Networks

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

Reference: PRT-2023-00011

Version Number: 1

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Portsmouth Water Limited, with registered number 02536455 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets Affected:

  • ZHH1 – Hoads Hill North Supply Zone
  • ZHH2 – Hoads Hill East Supply Zone
  • ZHH3 – Hoads Hill West Supply Zone
  • ZLO1 – Lovedean Supply Zone
  • ZNE1 – Nelson Supply Zone
  • ZSB1 – Soberton Supply Zone
  • YWSP-HSH – WSP-HSH Supply System

Details of this Notice:

  1. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (‘the Inspectorate’) has received a regulation 28(1) report of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’) from the Company dated 18 October 2021, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from WSP-HSH Supply System (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

Failure to optimise poly-aluminium chloride dosing resulting in excessive carry over into downstream assets.

Chemical Dosing – Failure to administer the correct dose – Aluminium

PRT/HSH/TITCH/T10.3.1

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. Enhanced zonal monitoring for aluminium in all zones supplied by the Itchen Water Treatment Works (WTW).
    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. Complete an investigation into aluminium levels and deposits (and associated potential risks) within the downstream networks supplied by the Itchen WTW:
    Hoads Hill North Supply Zone
    Date: Complete
     Hoads Hill East Supply Zone
    Date: Complete
     Hoads Hill West Supply Zone
    Date: Complete
     Lovedean Supply Zone
    Date: Complete
     Nelson Supply Zone
    Date: Complete
     Soberton Supply Zone
    Date: 31 May 2024
  2. Develop a flushing programme (where required) following the investigation into aluminium deposits in the downstream networks required under measure (b)1.
    Date: 30 June 2025
  3. Initiate the flushing programme in the downstream networks developed under measure (b)2.
    Date: 30 September 2024
  4. Review the progress and effectiveness of the flushing programme initiated under measure (b)3. The review to include progress against the flushing programme and details of evidence of analytical data to confirm the success of the flushing programme.
    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: 31 January 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 the water supply zones named in this notice, 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. Report the findings of the investigations into aluminium levels and deposits in the networks (measure (b)1).
    Date: 30 June 2024
  3. Submit the flushing programmes (where required) developed under measure (b)2.
    Date: 31 July 2025
  4. Confirm the initiation of the flushing programme in the downstream networks developed under measure (b)3.
    Date: 31 October 2024
  5. Submit a report summarising the progress and effectiveness of the flushing programme detailed under (b)3, over the year since its initiation.
    Date: 30 April 2026
  6. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
    Date: 29 February 2024
  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. The report will demonstrate the benefit of flushing one of the zones, with the remainder becoming a business as usual activity.
    Date: 30 April 2027

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
11 December 2023
Reference: PRT-2023-00011

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