Severn Trent Water Limited: Big Higham Service Reservoir Rebuild
Notice under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended)
Reference: SVT-2022-00005
Version Number: 2
Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Severn Trent Water Limited, with registered number 02366686 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).
Assets Affected:
- Big Higham DSR (R0561)
Details of this Notice:
- 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 21 October 2021, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Big Higham DSR (and associated assets as applicable) that could constitute a potential danger to human health or could be unwholesome.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
Microbiological contamination due to ingress. | C001 – Total Coliforms (confirmed) | R0561-447-S-H035-C001-23P |
Microbiological contamination due to ingress. | C002 – E.coli (Confirmed) | R0561-447-S-H035-C002-23Q |
Microbiological contamination due to ingress. | C003 – Enterococci (Confirmed) | R0561-628-S-H035-C003-2Q2 |
Microbiological contamination due to ingress. | C007 – Colony Counts at 22oC | R0561-628-S-H035-C007-2C0 |
Microbiological contamination due to ingress. | C009 – Residual Disinfectant – Free Chlorine | R0561-628-S-H047-C009-161 |
Microbiological contamination due to ingress. | C010 – Residual Disinfectant – Total Chlorine | R0561-628-S-H047-C010-1R3 |
- 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:
- Operate Big Higham DSR in accordance with company policy, standards, and procedures, aligning with recognised standards of good practice.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Carry out investigatory sampling in response to any microbiological exceedances.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Weekly extended bacteriological sampling and enhanced data assessment.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Weekly site security and inspection visits.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Proactive grounds maintenance at reservoir and at outflow discharge points and air valves
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:
- Produce a plan of the mitigation actions required to protect consumers supplied from Big Higham service reservoir in the event of an emergency. Update the regulation 27 risk assessments to reflect this risk.
Date: Complete - Confirmation of the appropriateness of the proposal to rebuild Big Higham service reservoir, to include the scope of the proposed works and timescales for delivery
Date: Complete - Confirm the commencement of construction work to rebuild Big Higham service reservoir.
Date: 30 April 2025 - Complete construction and commissioning of new service reservoir in line with the defined scope in step (b)2.
Date: 30 June 2027 - Isolate existing DSR from supply.
- Date: 30 September 2027
(c) To audit whether the measures have been effective by the following means:
- Define an audit strategy to monitor the effectiveness of the measures specified in sections (a) and (b).
Date: Complete - 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 Big Higham DSR, 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:
- Provide a progress report annually.
Date: by 31 January each year. - Confirm the plan of the mitigation actions required to protect consumers supplied from Big Higham service reservoir in the event of an emergency. Update the regulation 27 risk assessments to reflect this risk.
Date: Complete - Confirm scope of proposed works and timescales for delivery as detailed in step (b)2.
Date: Complete - Confirm commencement of construction as detailed in step (b)3.
Date: 31 May 2025 - Complete the construction and commissioning of the new service reservoir in line with the defined scope as detailed in (e)3.
Date: 31 July 2027 - Confirm the isolation of the existing DSR from supply.
Date: 31 October 2027 - Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
Date: Complete - Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
Date: Within 1 month of a revision - 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 - Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
Date: 31 October 2028
Further Details of this Notice:
- Any product or substance used as a result of the requirements in this Notice must comply with regulation 31.
- 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.
- 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
2 October 2024
Reference: SVT-2022-00005 v2