South West Water Limited – AMP8 Discolouration Improvements
Notice under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended)
Reference: SWB-2023-00015
Version Number: 1
Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): South West Water Limited, with registered number 02366665 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).
Assets Affected:
- Water Supply Zones listed in Annex 1
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 20 September 2018, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from water supply zones (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 |
|---|---|---|
|
Consumer Acceptability (discolouration) |
Discolouration H057 |
Multiple hazard IDs linked to priority zones identified annually |
- 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:
- Optimisation of existing treatment processes with particular regard to removal of manganese and other parameters relevant to discolouration.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Undertake enhanced monitoring from treatment works to inform the risk associated with the input of parameters that might influence discolouration in the zones.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Investigate any failure of a discolouration parameter (Turbidity, Iron, Manganese, Aluminium).
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Continue to risk assess as required under regulation 27 to inform the prioritisation of the flushing and mains replacement programmes.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this notice - Undertake reactive flushing following consumer contacts; events or water quality failures, where required.
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:
- Develop a discolouration root cause analysis methodology to understand the reasons for discolouration, utilising all relevant sources of data, with input from relevant stakeholders.
Date: 28 February 2026 - Undertake an annual review of consumer contacts using the methodology developed in (b)1 to update the regulation 27 risk assessments and determine priority zones for enhanced flushing to achieve;
- A maximum discolouration contact rate for any zone of 0.94 contacts per 1000 population, or lower, by the end of AMP8.
- A company average performance of 0.6 contacts per 1000 population, or lower by the end of AMP8.
Date: By 28 February each year and annually for the duration of this notice
- Undertake a review of consumer contacts associated with brown, black or orange water (BBO) using the methodology developed in (b)1 to update the regulation 27 risk assessments and determine a targeted mains replacement or rehabilitation programme and other required interventions to achieve;
- A maximum discolouration (BBO) contact rate for any zone of 0.94 contacts per 1000 population, or lower, by the end of AMP8.
- A company average performance of 0.6 BBO contacts per 1000 population, or lower by the end of AMP8.
Date: By 28 February each year and annually for the duration of this notice
- Develop and implement the programme of work as identified in (b)2 to reduce the number of discoloured water contacts.
Date: Annually for the duration of this notice - Develop and implement the programme of work as identified in (b)3 to replace or rehabilitate the mains identified and reduce the number of discoloured water contacts.
Date: 31 March 2030 - Agree with the Inspectorate AMP9 targets for reduction on discolouration contacts regionally and for individual zones, which will be in line with the rest of the drinking water industry anticipated average.
Date: 31 March 2029 - Develop a strategy to deliver required work for improvements in discolouration contacts in AMP9 (for example, treatment works upgrades to reduce network seeding, mains replacement or rehabilitation, etc.), taking into account performance improvements attained in AMP8.
Date: 28 February 2028 - Implement AMP9 strategy developed in (b)7 to completion and achieve the targets agreed in (b)6.
Date: 31 March 2035
(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: 28 February 2025 - 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 Water Supply Zones, 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. - Provide a list of priority zones on an annual basis as identified in (b)2 including a brief summary of performance against milestone (b)2.
Date: Annually by 31 March each year - Provide an update on the mains replacements and rehabilitation against those identified in measure (b)3.
Date: Annually by 31 March each year - Submit a report detailing the methodology developed under measure (b)1.
Date: 31 March 2025 - Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
Date: 31 March 2025 - Submit a report detailing the strategy produced under measure (b)6.
Date: 31 March 2028 - Submit proposals for the AMP9 targets, based on company performance and industry performance.
Date: 30 April 2029 - 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 an interim completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
Date: 30 April 2031 - Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
Date: 30 April 2036
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).
Nicholas Adjei
Deputy Chief Inspector, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
20 December 2024
Reference: SWB-2023-00015
Annex 1
Annual Update of Priority Water Supply Zones for each Region
Water Supply Zone reference | Water Supply Zone name |
|
To be populated each year and provided as part of annual milestone 3(e)2. | |
Annex 2
Annual Update of Water Supply Zones Requiring Mains Replacement or Other Interventions, for each Region
Water Supply Zone reference | Water Supply Zone name |
|
To be populated each year and provided as part of annual milestone 3(e)3. | |