Portsmouth Water Plc
Overall Water Quality supplied by Portsmouth Water in 2000
A total of 25,996 tests were carried out by Portsmouth Water in 2000. Of these tests, 99.85% complied with the Regulations.
Company Information Amount of Water Supplied: 176.4 Ml/d Consumers Supplied: 647,000 Areas of Supply: Hampshire, West Sussex, and Portsmouth Water Composition: 13% from rivers and reservoirs
87% from boreholes and aquifersTreatment Works: 20 Service Reservoirs: 43 Km of Mains: 3,200 Water Supply Zones: 23 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 14,898 tests on samples taken in its 23 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
1,849
10
0.54
-
Faecal coliforms
1,849
2
0.11
-
PAH
89
2
2.25
-
Treatment works
Of the Company’s 20 treatment works, 15 (75%) complied fully with the relevant standards. Failures of the total coliform standard in samples from one works have resulted in consideration of enforcement action. Contraventions at the other four were considered trivial and unlikely to recur. Differences over the last three years in the number of treatment works, and samples from treatment works, in which coliforms were detected are not considered significant. Service reservoirs
At all of the Company's 43 service reservoirs, coliforms were absent from at least 95% of samples. Failures of the standard for faecal coliforms in samples from two service reservoirs were considered trivial and unlikely to recur. Differences in the last three years in the number of service reservoirs, and samples from service reservoirs, in which coliforms were detected are not considered significant.Company Audit and Inspection Link to expanded information (web site version)
- The Company was inspected or audited by DWI or its appointed consultants on six 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
Investigation of Computer Systems and associated Data Management for drinking water quality information appearing on the Public Record
January
Annual assessment of 1999 compliance data.
April / May
Audit of plumbosolvency treatment and control programmes of work
October
Audit trails of five samples
October
Review of procedures for operation and maintenance of the distribution network
November
Inspection of distribution system improvement programme progress.
Ongoing
No major deficiencies were identified but a number of recommendations were made, especially in relation to analytical systems, computer security and procedures for the distribution system Incidents
- The Inspectorate regarded one of the events notified during 2000 by the Company as an incident in which drinking water quality demonstrably deteriorated.
- During 2000, assessment was completed for an incident which occurred in 1999.
- An incident assessment from 1999 also remains under consideration.
Nature of Incident
No. of Incidents
Assessment by DWI Completed
Areas Affected
Discoloured water
1
No
Victoria Rd, Southsea (September)
Improvement Programmes
Carried Out by the Company
- No remedial programmes of work were due for full completion during 2000.
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
Total coliforms
1 works
Regulation 3(7)
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Drinking Water Inspectorate,
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Telephone : 020 7944 5956 - Facsimile : 020 7944 5969
E-mail: dwi_enquiries@detr.gov.uk
Published 11 July 2001
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