Press Notice - 16 August 1999
South East Water pleads guilty to charges of supplying water unfit for human consumption
South East Water today pleaded guilty to supplying water unfit for human consumption. The incident involved the supply of discoloured water to the town of Bexhill on Sea in East Sussex in January 1998.
The charges brought under Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 were heard at Hastings Magistrates Court.
Michael Rouse Chief Inspector of the Drinking water Inspectorate said:
"I am very pleased to see that South East Water pleaded guilty. As guardians of drinking water quality, DWI will continue to consider prosecution in all cases in which consumers have received water that they regard as unfit for human consumption"
The Company was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £4,058 toward prosecution costs.
Notes for Editors
1. The prosecution follows an investigation by the Drinking Water Inspectorate of an incident involving the supply of discoloured water to Bexhill on 29 January 1998.
2. Section 70 of the Water Industry Act makes it criminal offence for a water company to supply water which is unfit for human consumption. The Inspectorate investigates all drinking water quality incidents and can bring prosecutions in the names of either the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and Regions or the National Assembly for Wales. DWI will bring prosecutions if it believes that it has evidence that water unfit for human consumption was supplied, if it believes that the company does not have a defence that it took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence and if such a prosecution is regarded as being in the public interest.
3. The incident began on 29 January 1999 when there was a change to the normal flow of water following the isolation of Mount Service Reservoir for a leakage test by the Defendant. The Company altered the flow of water which caused particles in the main such as iron and manganese to be suspended in the water and supplied through the mains to consumers taps. The Company accepts that it was this change in flow of water after opening the boundary valve that disturbed sediment in the main and caused the supply of discoloured water.
4. The Inspectorate considers that the Company has no defence of due diligence insofar as it failed to minimise the supply of dirty water to consumers in the Bexhill on Sea area by failing to plan fully for the provision of an alternative supply, by not ensuring that written procedures were accurately followed by employees and that a successful trial had not been conducted prior to the actual test.
5. The Inspectorate interviewed a number of affected consumers whose descriptions of the water included "the water came out like mud really thick brown", another said that the water was very brown with large amounts of matter and was completely undrinkable or useable". The discolouration was caused by iron and manganese deposits. Consumers rejected the water on the grounds of its appearance and it is unlikely that there was any risk to health.
6. The Drinking Water Inspectorate was set up in January 1990 its main task is to check that water companies in England and Wales supply wholesome water and comply with the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Quality)Regulations
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Updated 11 July 2001
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