Press Release

11 October 2007

DŴR CYMRU WELSH WATER PLEADS GUILTY TO SUPPLYING WATER UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water pleaded guilty at Caernarfon Magistrate’s Court on 11th October to supplying water unfit for human consumption. The incident involved the supply of drinking water containing the parasite Cryptosporidium hominis from the Cwellyn Water Treatment Works which resulted in 231 confirmed cases of illness in November 2005.

The charges were brought under Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 . In response, Professor Jeni Colbourne, Chief Inspector of Drinking Water, said:

“This was a serious incident. Many consumers were affected at the time and for some, the consequences were severe”

The Company was fined £ 15,000 on each of 4 specimen counts (total £60,000) and ordered to pay £69,399.43 toward prosecution costs.

Professor Colbourne, commenting on the outcome of the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s investigation said,

“My inspectors will shortly be issuing their Incident Assessment Letter. This will record the conclusions and findings of our investigation. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water are required to respond to all recommendations for action to prevent a recurrence. The Incident Assessment Letter will be publicly available on our website www.dwi.gov.uk”

She went on to say;

“I am pleased to report that wider lessons have been learnt from this incident. To reduce the chance of a repetition of the mistakes made by the water supplier, Dŵr Cymru, the relevant regulations are being changed”

Notes for Editors

1. Section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 makes it criminal offence for a water company to supply water which is unfit for human consumption. DWI investigates all drinking water quality incidents and since the Water Act 2003 can bring prosecutions in the name of the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water. There is also an arrangement between the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water and the Welsh Ministers of the Welsh Assembly Government enabling the Chief Inspector to institute prosecutions under section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 on their behalf. Prosecutions are taken forward where the Chief Inspector considers that there is reliable evidence that water unfit for human consumption was supplied, that the company does not have a defence that it took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence, and that such a prosecution is regarded as being in the public interest.
   
   
2. The prosecution follows an investigation by DWI following an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in November 2005 in North Wales. The National Public Health Service for Wales recorded 231 confirmed cases of illness.
   
   
3. The Drinking Water Inspectorate was set up in January 1990. Its main task is to check that water undertakers in England and Wales supply wholesome drinking water and in doing so comply with the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 or, in relation to water undertakers whose area is wholly or mainly in Wales, the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2001.
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4. Key features of the changes proposed to the current regulations are available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si200727.htm in a document titled The Explanatory Memorandum to The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 (Amendment) Regulations 2007 No 2734.