Northumbrian Water Limited
Overall Water Quality supplied by Northumbrian Water in 2000
A total of 193,063 tests were carried out by Northumbrian Water in 2000. Of these tests, 99.88% complied with the regulations.
Company Information Amount of Water Supplied: 758 Ml/d Consumers Supplied: 2.6 million Areas of Supply: North east of England Water Composition: 95% from rivers and reservoirs
5% from boreholes and aquifersTreatment Works: 41 Service Reservoirs: 249 Km of Mains: 16,515 Water Supply Zones: 111 Water Quality in Water Supply Zones, at Treatment Works, and in Service Reservoirs
Water supply zones
- In general, to be wholesome, water must comply with the standards set out in the Regulations. The Company carried out a total of 153,717 tests on samples taken in its 111 water supply zones. The table below includes only the parameters that breached the standard. All other parameters fully complied with the standards. Parameter meanings can be found at the beginning of this section.
- The last column indicates the number of failures in zones already covered by legally binding undertakings given by the Company to carry out remedial works to overcome the difficulty in meeting the individual standard.
Parameter
Total samples taken
Samples not meeting the standard
Percentage
Number of failures already covered by undertakings
Total coliforms
7,429
32
0.43
-
Faecal coliforms
7,429
5
0.07
-
Colour
7,427
6
0.08
-
Turbidity
7,428
4
0.05
-
Odour
950
1
0.11
-
Taste
951
1
0.11
-
Aluminium
3,480
5
0.14
1
Iron
3,480
66
1.90
61
Manganese
3,480
14
0.40
8
Lead
1,704
14
0.82
8
PAH
464
1
0.22
-
Trihalomethane
618
4
0.65
1
Chlortoluron
1,439
1
0.07
-
MCPA
1,490
24
1.61
-
Treatment works
Of the Company’s 41 treatment works, 36 (88%) complied fully with the relevant standards. Contraventions of the total coliform and faecal coliform standards at the other five works were considered trivial or unlikely to recur. There have been significant decreases over the last three years in the number of treatment works, and samples from treatment works, in which total coliforms were detected. All other differences are not considered significant. Service reservoirs
Enforcement action was considered for total and faecal coliforms at two service reservoirs and for faecal coliforms at another. Failures of the standard for faecal coliforms at 9 service reservoirs were considered trivial or unlikely to recur. There have been significant decreases since 1999 in the number of samples from service reservoirs in which total coliforms were detected. All other differences are not considered significant.
- At 248 (>99%) of the Company's 249 service reservoirs, coliforms were absent from at least 95% of samples.
Company Audit and Inspection Link to expanded information (web site version)
- The Company was inspected or audited by DWI or its appointed consultants on five occasions in 2000. Where relevant, report summaries are available in the ‘Business and Technical’ section of DWI’s web site under ‘Audit and Inspection’.
Audit or Inspection
Date
Annual assessment of 1999 compliance data
April / May
Audit of plumbosolvency treatment and control programmes of work
November
Audit trails of five samples
November
Follow-up of response to recommendations made in 1999 inspection reports
December
Inspection of distribution system improvement programme progress
Ongoing
A number of recommendations for improvements were made, especially in relation to analytical systems and data. Incidents
- The Inspectorate regarded 11 of the events notified during 2000 by the Company as incidents in which drinking water quality demonstrably deteriorated.
- Ten of the incidents have been assessed by DWI. Each was of short duration and the Company has taken the appropriate remedial action. Ten recommendations were made to the Company mainly regarding its operational procedures and response to incidents. Enforcement action was taken following the failure of disinfection at Murton Water Treatment Works.
- One assessment remains under consideration.
Nature of Incident
No. of Incidents
Assessment by DWI Completed
Areas Affected
Supply of discoloured water
7
Yes
Stockton-on-Tees & Darlington (February), Loftus (March), Whitley Bay & Monkseaton (March), Ponteland (March), Marton (May), Newton Aycliffe (July), Teesside (September).
1
No
Langley Park (December)
Failure of disinfection systems
3
Yes
Fulwell Water Treatment Works (June), Cockershield Water Treatment Works (August), Murton Water Treatment Works (September)
Improvement Programmes
Carried Out by the Company
- No remedial programmes were due for full completion during 2000.
- The ongoing distribution system improvement programmes due for completion in 2010, which have been implemented by the Company, have been progressing satisfactorily.
Enforcement Action
- The table below indicates areas where DWI is considering, or has taken enforcement action for, breaches of regulations.
Parameter/Area
Number
Regulation Breached
Manganese
3 zones
Regulation 3(3)(C)
Turbidity
1 zone
Regulation 3(3)(C)
Colour
1 zone
Regulation 3(3)(C)
Total coliforms
1 works, 2 service reservoirs
Regulation 3(7)
Faecal coliforms
3 service reservoirs
Regulation 3(7)
Disinfection failure
1 works
Regulation 23(1)
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Drinking Water Inspectorate,
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Telephone : 020 7944 5956 - Facsimile : 020 7944 5969
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Published 11 July 2001
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