Radioactivity Notice: United Utilities Water Limited

Notice Reference: UUT-2021-00005

Notice under regulation 6(12) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (“the Regulations”)

Radioactivity Monitoring of Water Supplies

1. Water Undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): United Utilities Water Limited, with registered number 02366678 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).
2. This notice is made by the Secretary of State under the power in regulation 6(12) of the Regulations. It takes effect from 01 January 2022 and will expire on 31 December 2026, unless otherwise withdrawn.
3. Regulation 6(7) to (15) of the Regulations relates to the monitoring by water companies of radioactive parameters in the water supply zones they supply. Specifically, regulation 6 requires water companies to monitor for indicative dose, radon, and tritium.
4. Regulation 6(12) of the Regulations provides that the Secretary of State may notify a water company that a radioactive parameter need not be monitored if they are satisfied that, for the period specified in the notice and for the purposes of regulation 4(1), the water supplied to that zone:
   • gives risk to a calculated indicative dose that is below the parametric value specified in Schedule 2 of the Regulations;
   • contains levels of radon that are below the parametric value specified in Schedule 2 of the Regulations;
   • contains levels of tritium that are below the parametric value specified in Schedule 2 of the Regulations.
5. Based on the evidence presented by the Company, the Secretary of State, is satisfied that the water supplied to the water supply zones listed in the Schedule to the notice (“the Schedule”) contains levels of indicative dose, radon, and tritium that are below the parametric values specified in the relevant part of Schedule 2 of the Regulations.
6. Accordingly, for the period the notice has effect, the Company need not conduct regulatory monitoring for indicative dose, radon, and tritium for the sites listed in the Schedule.
7. Pursuant to regulation 6(14) of the Regulations, the Secretary of State must, by notice in writing, withdraw this notice if they have reason to believe that water supplied to the zone in question, for regulation 4(1) purposes gives rise to a calculated indicative dose, or contains levels of radon or tritium, which are likely to exceed the parametric value specified in Schedule 2 of the Regulations.
8. In the event that this notice is withdrawn under regulation 6(14), the Company must monitor for the relevant parameter(s) in accordance with Tables 2 and 3 in Schedule 3 of the Regulations.

Signed

Marcus Rink

Chief Inspector of Drinking Water for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Date: 10 December 2021.
Reference: UUT-2021-00005