Letter from the Chief Inspector to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales
To
The Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP
Secretary of State for the Environment,
Food and Rural Affairsand
The Rt Hon Rhodri Morgan AM
First Minister, National Assembly for Wales
I am pleased to submit the Inspectorate's 11th Annual Report covering the year ended 31 December 2000. It provides an account of the audits made by the Inspectorate and the conclusions reached upon the quality of water supplied by the 27 water companies of England and Wales. It is a new style report aimed to attract a wider readership but with greater depth of information being provided on the Inspectorate's web site for those with a professional interest.
I am able to report a further improvement to the high quality of drinking water with 99.83% of around 2.7 million tests showing compliance with the standards. There was a 13% reduction in the number of tests breaching the standards compared with 1999. The number breaching the standards is now less than one eleventh of that in 1992.
I am also able to report a reduction in the number of incidents compared with 1999, and with fewer potential prosecution cases. This is very good news for consumers which has resulted from improved planning and operation of distribution systems by water companies. The Inspectorate will continue to take a tough line towards achieving further improvements through enforcement actions and prosecutions as appropriate.
The commercial arrangements for the supply of drinking water are changing as a result of some water companies contracting out operations, and through common carriage, with the opportunities it provides for increased competition. The Inspectorate welcomes any developments which offer potential benefits to consumers. My colleagues and I will work with others on proposals for change, through providing some important water quality regulation input necessary for the continuing protection of public health.
Michael Rouse
Chief Inspector
[ Previous ] [ Contents ] [ Next ]
| A - Z Index | Business and Technical | Consumer Information | Contacting us |
| DWI Home Page | News | Product Approval | Search our site | Wales |
Drinking Water Inspectorate,
Floor 2/A1, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DE
Telephone : 020 7944 5956 - Facsimile : 020 7944 5969
E-mail: dwi_enquiries@detr.gov.uk
Published 11 July 2001
Return to Publications and Reports Index
Return to Drinking Water Inspectorate Home Page
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)Home Page
The National Assembly for Wales / Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru Home Page
Web site terms
© Crown copyright 2001