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Wessex Water Services Limited – Zone 105 Fovant Copper

Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended) (“the Act”): Section 19(1)(b)

Reference: WSX-2024-00001

Acceptance Notice:

The Drinking Water Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs:

  1. Is satisfied that Wessex Water Services Limited “the Company” in supplying water from Zone 105 Fovant which may be at risk of exceeding the standards for Copper. This means that the Company is likely to contravene its duty in respect of supplying water which meets the Regulations under Section 68(1)(a) of the Water Industry Act 1991 and meets the requirement set in regulation 4(2)(c) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (“the Regulations”).
  2. Notes that the Company has on 11 June 2024 given a new undertaking under Section 19 (1) (b) of the Act, to take the following steps by the dates shown.

Steps to be taken:

  1. Continually appraise the risk of the Copper parameter as a hazard as part of the regulation 27 Risk Assessment for the connected supply system associated with the Zone 105 Fovant distribution system according to a Drinking Water Safety Plan approach and ensure that regulation 28 documents are reviewed, and updates provided as necessary. 
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Undertaking
  2. Procure, install and commission copper rigs, to assess the effect of carbon filtration on likelihood of copper corrosion.
    Date: 30 September 2024
  3. In collaboration with external experts, develop methodologies for investigation of copper release mechanisms using equipment developed for previous copper investigations within Fovant zone.
    Date: 30 July 2024
  4. Undertake investigations using methodology developed as per the requirement of step 3.
    Date: 31 December 2027
  5. Continue age profiling of properties within the Fovant Zone and investigate the affect this may have on copper concentrations.
    Date: Ongoing for duration of the undertaking
  6. Develop and carry out a detailed copper-specific Water Fittings Inspection following any copper detection above 1 mg/l at customer taps. Additionally utilise proactive water fittings inspections within the zone to provide additional information in relation to copper.
    Date: Ongoing for duration of the undertaking
  7. Investigate the dissolved oxygen profile of water across the associated network, to determine if this is relevant.
    Date: Annually for the duration of the undertaking
  8. Monitor copper levels at customer taps within the Fovant zone at an enhanced sampling frequency. Both total and dissolved copper analysis carried out for all routine scheduled copper samples.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of the Undertaking
  9. Review of properties where elevated copper was previously identified since 2014.
    Date: 31 December 2027
  10. Submit a report on the outcomes of investigations carried out in step 4, to include details of the proposed solution. This submission will include an Annex 4 Change Application, Stage 1.  
    Date: 31 January 2028
  11. Submit an Annex 4 change application Stage 2 to update the Undertaking to deliver the solution outlined in step 10.    
    Date: 30 April 2028

Reporting:

  1. At regular intervals, provide DWI with reports on progress made with carrying out the steps set out in the Action Plan. Reports to include at least the following details:
    • All data from the monitoring of treated water in the distribution system named in the undertaking.
    • Details of the remedial steps that comprise the programme of work including commencement and completion dates for investigations, design, tendering, construction, and commissioning.
    • Current state of progress with the steps referred to above;
    • A statement of implications of any slippage of the programme and details of activities planned to bring programme back on target.
    • Whether the company has any other reason to believe it may not be able to meet any of the key dates set out in this Schedule of Work.
      Date: Annually for the duration of the Undertaking. Reporting periods are Jan – Dec. Reports to be submitted by 31 January each year that the Undertaking is in place.
  2. Continue to monitor at an enhanced frequency for Copper for a period of 12 months following delivery of the solution identified in step 10 to demonstrate the effectiveness of the remedial measures taken.
    Date: 30 April 2029. To be updated on completion of step 11
  3. Provide a final report to DWI on the outcomes of the investigations outlined in the undertaking. Include as evidence for closure for this scheme appropriate documentation to confirm that the actions set out in this Schedule of Work have been taken.
    Date: 31 May 2029. To be updated on completion of step 11

Further Details of this Acceptance Notice:

  1. The Secretary of State is satisfied that Wessex Water Services Limited has given and is complying with an undertaking to take all such steps as appear to the Secretary of State for the time being to be appropriate to secure or facilitate compliance with the requirement of regulation 4(2)(c) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended).

Authorised by the Secretary of State to sign in that behalf;

Nicholas Adjei
Deputy Chief Inspector, Drinking Water Inspectorate
12 June 2024
Reference: WSX-2024-00001

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