The DWI
report is made up of six regional drinking water quality reports each one based on a
Consumer Council for Water committee area. Each
report includes details about the following:
- Tests of water samples collected from treatment works, treated water
reservoirs and consumers taps
- Actions taken by water companies in
response to the few adverse test results
- Inspectorate’s findings and
conclusions from investigation of water quality incidents
- Inspectorate’s technical audit
findings and recommendations.
- Consumer perceptions and concerns
about drinking water quality
- Outcome of the Inspectorate’s
consultation with local health professionals
Professor
Colbourne added:
“At
the request of local authorities I report , this year, on progress towards meeting the
future stricter lead standard. In
England and Wales only 0.26% of tap water samples now fail the current standard of 25
µg/l and the number of samples failing the future more stringent standard of 10 µg/l is
now in decline”.
“Now
is the time for water companies and local authorities to work together to identify the
need, if any, for local action plans”.
Commenting
on drinking water quality overall, Professor Colbourne stated, “My inspectors
carry out rigorous checks throughout the year and I am pleased to report that nationally,
drinking water quality improved in 2005 with 99.96% of tests meeting the standards”.
BACKGROUND FOR EDITORS
1. The Drinking Water Inspectorate was formed in 1990 and acts as the independent
regulator of the quality and safety of drinking water supplied by the water companies in
England and Wales. The powers and duties of
the Inspectorate come from the Water Industry Act 1991, as amended by the Water Act 2003.
2. Drinking Water 2005 comes in the following self
contained parts:
Part 1: Drinking Water Science and Standards – explains how
drinking water quality is regulated, describes the standards and reports on scientific
developments.
Part 2: Drinking Water Safety – reports on the water quality performance of
each water company and the industry as a whole in terms of a basket of measures in the
World Health Organisation’s water safety management framework.
Part 3: in six separate parts, each giving the overview of drinking water quality
with results, maps and commentary for a region (Northern, Midlands, Eastern, Thames,
Southern and Western).
3. Drinking Water 2005 will be available in downloadable format on the
Inspectorate’s website www.dwi.gov.uk from 10.00 am on 28 June.
4. The Drinking Water Inspectorate is working with
CCWater under its Forward Work Programme 2006-07 to 2008-09 . The CCWater Forward
Programme includes a workstream designed to improve consumer awareness of the safety of
public water supplies. Further details of the CCWater Forward Work Programme can be found
at http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/aptrix/ofwat/publish.nsf/Content/navigation-watervoice-wvpublications_watervoiceprogrammes
5. The launch of regional
reports will co-incide with CCWater Meetings at which the Inspectorate will present an
overview of regional drinking water quality and have Inspectors available for interview.
The dates and regional press contacts are
given below :-
Region |
CCWater meeting |
Date of meeting |
GNN
Contact |
Midlands |
CCWater Midlands(Derby) |
28 June |
Ray
Prichard
Phone
:0121 352 5508
E-mail :
ray.Prichard@gnn.gsi.gov.uk |
Eastern Region |
CCWater Eastern(Lincoln) |
26 July |
Jenny
Thompson
Phone: 01223 372789
e-mail jenny.Thompson@ |
Northern region |
CCWater Northumbrian
(Tynemouth/Newcastle) |
11 Sept |
Karen
Bell
Phone
: 0191 202 3603
E-mail
: Karen.bell@gnn.gsi.gov.uk |
Northern region |
CCWater Yorkshire(Huddersfield) |
19 Sept |
Sheila
Perry
Phone : 0113 283 6596
E-mail
: Sheila.Perry@gnn.gsi.gov.uk |
Northern region |
CCWater North West(Location TBC) |
26 Sept |
Jeff
Garner
Phone : 0161 9524502
E-mail
: Jeff.Garner@gnn.gsi.gov.uk |
Southern Region |
CCWater Southern(Brighton) |
28 Sept |
Ed
Hawkesworth
Phone
:01483 882293
E-mail
: Ed.Hawesworth@gnn.gsi.gov.uk |
Western Region |
CCWater Western(Bournemouth) |
28 Sept |
Wailim
Wong
Phone
:01752 635053
E-mail
:Wailim.Wong@gnn.gsi.gov.uk |
Thames Region |
CCWater Thames(Location TBA) |
14 Sept |
Suzanne
Halls
Phone :020 7217 3664
E-mail
: SHalls.@gnn.gsi.gov.uk |
