Chief Inspector's Report 2002
10 Hartlepool Water Plc
| Overall Water Quality supplied by Hartlepool Water Plc in 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Water Quality at Treatment Works, in Service Reservoirs and in Water Supply Zones
To be wholesome, water must comply with the standards for the parameters set out in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989. In 2002, the Company carried out a total of 2,641 tests on samples taken at water treatment works, in service reservoirs and in water supply zones and of these, 99.81% complied with the relevant water quality standards set down in the Regulations. A list of the parameters, the relevant standards and their significance can be found at the beginning of this section.
Water Quality leaving Treatment works
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
||
| Number of water treatment works | 3 |
3 |
3 |
|
| COLIFORMS | ||||
| Total number of tests | 364 |
364 |
331 |
|
| - | number containing coliforms | 0 |
0 |
0 |
| - | % containing coliforms | 0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
| Treatment works with coliforms detected | 0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| - | % of all works with coliforms detected | 0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
| FAECAL COLIFORMS | ||||
| Total number of tests | 364 |
364 |
331 |
|
| - | number containing faecal coliforms | 0 |
0 |
0 |
| - | % containing faecal coliforms | 0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
| Treatment works with faecal coliforms detected | 0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| - | % of all works with faecal coliforms detected | 0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
All of the Company's treatment works complied fully with the total and faecal coliform standards in 2002.
The Company has no sites that require regulatory monitoring for Cryptosporidium.
Water Quality in Service Reservoirs
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
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| Number of service reservoirs | 6 |
6 |
6 |
|
| COLIFORMS | ||||
| Total number of tests | 312 |
312 |
312 |
|
| - | number containing coliforms | 1 |
1 |
0 |
| - | % containing coliforms | 0.32% |
0.32% |
0.00% |
| Service reservoirs with coliforms detected | 1 |
1 |
0 |
|
| Service reservoirs with coliforms detected | 0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| in more than 5% of tests | ||||
| - | % of all service reservoirs with coliforms detected | 0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
| FAECAL COLIFORMS | ||||
| Total number of tests | 312 |
312 |
312 |
|
| - | number containing faecal coliforms | 0 |
0 |
0 |
| - | % containing faecal coliforms | 0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
| Service reservoirs with faecal coliforms detected | 0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| - | % of all service reservoirs with faecal coliforms detected | 0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
At all of the Company's reservoirs, coliforms were absent from at least 95% of samples. There were no failures of the faecal coliform standard.
Water Quality in Water Supply Zones
The table below shows the data for the key parameters and any other parameters where there was a breach of the standard. All other parameters were fully compliant.
| Parameter | Total number of tests |
Tests not meeting the prescribed concentration or value |
Number of failures covered by Undertakings |
Number of zones not complying with the standards |
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No |
% |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
|||
| Coliforms | 240 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Faecal coliforms | 240 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Colour | 16 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Turbidity | 16 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Odour | 8 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Taste | 8 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Hydrogen ion | 16 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Nitrate | 16 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Nitrite | 16 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Aluminium | 16 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Iron | 120 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Manganese | 120 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Lead | 7 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| PAH | 22 |
4 |
18.18 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
| Trihalomethanes | 4 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Total pesticides | 4 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Other pesticides | 76 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| All others | 344 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| TOTAL | 1,289 |
4 |
0.31% |
0 |
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| 4 zones in 2000, 2001 and 2002 | |||||||
The New Regulations
In 2002, the Company carried out monitoring for the six new parametric values set down in the new Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000. These Regulations come into force on 25 December 2003. The results are shown in the table below.
| Parameter | Total number of tests |
New standard |
Tests not meeting the new standard |
| Benzene | 10 |
1.0 µg/l |
0 |
| Bromate | 10 |
10.0 µg/l |
1 |
| 1,2 dichloroethane | 10 |
3.0 µg/l |
0 |
| Nitrite (ex-water treatment works) | 10 |
0.1 mg/l |
0 |
| Clostridium perfringens | 0 |
0/100 ml |
- |
| Enterococci | 14 |
0/100 ml |
0 |
Compliance data for 2002 has also been analysed against the revised standards and the results are shown in the following table.
| Parameter | Total number or tests |
Current Standard |
Number of tests not meeting current standard |
Revised Standard |
Number of tests not meeting revised standard |
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| Antimony | 4 |
10.0 µg/l |
0 |
5.0 µg/l |
0 |
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| Arsenic | 4 |
50.0 µg/l |
0 |
10.0 µg/l |
0 |
|||
| Boron | 4 |
2.0 mg/l |
0 |
1.0 mg/l |
0 |
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| Copper | 4 |
3.0 mg/l |
0 |
2.0 mg/l |
0 |
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| Lead | 7 |
50.0 µg/l |
0 |
25.0 µg/l1 |
4 |
|||
10.0 µg/l2 |
2 |
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| Nickel | 4 |
50.0 µg/l |
0 |
20.0 µg/l |
0 |
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| Nitrite (at consumers' taps) | 16 |
0.1 mg/l |
0 |
0.5 mg/l |
0 |
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| PAH | 22 |
0.2 µg/l |
4 |
0.1 µg/l |
0 |
|||
| Tetrachloroethene | 4 |
30.0 µg/l |
|
10.0 µg/l
|
0
|
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| Trichloroethene | 4 |
10.0 µg/l |
Details of the new and revised standards, and the reasons for the revisions where applicable, can be found in chapter J "New Regulations and Associated Programmes of Work".
1 From 25.12.03
2 From 25.12.13
Company Audit and Inspection
The Company was inspected or audited by the Inspectorate on a number of occasions during 2002. Where relevant, report summaries are available in the 'Business and Technical' section of the Inspectorate's web site under 'Audit and Inspection'.
| Audit or Inspection | Date |
| Audit of response to selected consumer complaints | September 2002 |
| Audit trails of three test results | September 2002 |
| Inspection of one water treatment works and four service reservoirs | November 2002 |
No recommendations were made.
Incidents
The Inspectorate regarded the single event notified during 2002 by the Company as an incident. For further details on the classification of incidents, see chapter C "Events affecting Water Quality" in Part 3.
The incident has been assessed by the Inspectorate. It was of short duration and the Company has taken appropriate remedial action. No recommendations were made.
| Nature of incident | No. of incidents |
Assessment completed |
Area affected |
Population potentially |
| Microbiological
contamination of supplies |
1 |
Yes |
King Oswy (February) |
2,500 |
Enforcement Action
No enforcement action was considered for the Company as a result of the Inspectorate's activities during 2002.
Undertakings and other Improvement Programmes
Water treatment works and service reservoirs
No improvement programmes were due for completion during 2002.
Distribution
The Company had completed its distribution system undertaking by December 2001.
Lead
The Company has a Regulation 41 programme of work to meet the revised standard for lead set down in the new Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000, which will come into force on 25 December 2003. Progress with the delivery of the programme is monitored by the Inspectorate and has been satisfactory.
