Southern Water Services Limited – Patching Water Supply Works Nitrate
Notice under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended)
Reference: SRN-2018-00013
Version Number: 4
Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Southern Water Services Limited, with registered number 02366670 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).
Assets Affected:
- TS020 Patching Water Supply Works
- Y009 Sussex West
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 28 December 2017, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from Patching Water Supply Works (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 |
|---|---|---|
|
Increasing nitrate in source waters |
Nitrate |
49267 |
- 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:
- Continue current blending of treated water at Patching Hill WSR.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Carry out enhanced sampling and monitoring (when installed) for Nitrate at Patching WSW and at Patching Hill WSR.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Monitoring and reporting the impact of any changes made.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Implement an enhanced monitoring strategy for nitrate to include the monitoring of all high-risk raw water sources and associated final waters on a weekly basis to supplement the current regulatory treated water monitoring.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Report all exceedances of the nitrate parameter to the Local Authority and Health Protection team and agree further additional steps to protect public health as appropriate.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice - Report all regulatory exceedances of the standards for the nitrate parameter to DWI as part of current monthly exception reporting process.
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:
- Install and commission online monitoring and corresponding control system at Clapham Water Supply Works, Patching Water Supply Works and Angmering Water Supply Works.
Date: Complete - Install and commission monitoring and control of blend sources and Patching WSW to reinforce existing treated water blending at Patching Hill WSR.
Date: 30 April 2024 - Review Nitrate trends to determine if additional mitigation is required and assess the timing of the implementation of any further action required.
Date: 30 April 2026
(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 Patching Water Supply Works, 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. - Submit report to confirm installation and commissioning of online monitoring and corresponding control system at Clapham WSW, Patching WSW and Angmering WSW.
Date: Complete - Submit report to confirm details of locations and scope of additional treatment capacity.
Date: Complete - The company shall provide an overview of its operational strategy for maintaining nitrate below the standard prescribed by the Water Supply (Water Quality) regulations 2016 (as amended).
Date: Complete - Submit report to confirm installation and commissioning of monitoring and control of blend sources and Patching WSW to reinforce existing treated water blending at Patching Hill WSR.
Date: 31 May 2024 - Submit review of Nitrate trends and determine if additional mitigation is required and assess the timing of the implementation of any further action required.
Date: 31 May 2026 - 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 May 2027
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
Nick Adjei
Deputy Chief Inspector, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
22 January 2024
Reference: SRN-2018-00013 v4