17 SOUTH EAST WATER PLC
Introduction
South East Water plc supplies on average about 370 Ml/d water to about 1.4 million consumers in parts of Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex and West Kent. 72% of the Company’s water supply come from boreholes rivers and reservoirs. The remainder comes from rivers and reservoirs. The Company has 63 treatment works , and distributes water through 9,554 km of pipes and 172 service reservoirs to 90 water supply zones.
Overall water quality
At water treatment works and service reservoirs and in water supply zones, the Company carried out a total of 72,825 determinations in 2000. Of these, 99.76% demonstrated compliance with the relevant PCV, but 172 showed a contravention to have occurred.
Coliforms were not detected at 52 (83%) of the Company's 63 water treatment works. At 169 (98%) of the Company's 172 service reservoirs, coliforms were absent from at least 95% of samples. Of the Company's 90 water supply zones in 2000, 87 (96%) complied fully with the relevant water quality standards or had breaches of the standards which were either trivial or were fully covered by undertakings. In the other 3 (4%) of the zones, some breaches are regarded as unlikely to recur, but others could result in enforcement action.
Microbiological quality of water leaving treatment works
The Company complied with the sampling frequencies required by regulation 17 at all of its treatment works in 2000.
Table 17.1 shows the Company's performance in 2000, with data for 1999 and 1998 for comparison. The Company was formed by the merger of Mid Southern Water plc and South East Water Limited on 1 January 1999 and the data presented for 1998 represents combined data for the two predecessor companies. There have been significant increases in the number of treatment works, and samples from treatment works in which total and faecal coliforms were detected.
Contraventions of the microbiological quality standards at a total of one works has resulted in the consideration of enforcement action, as shown in table 17.4. All other contraventions of the standards at works are considered trivial or unlikely to recur, or covered by undertakings.
Microbiological quality of water in service reservoirs
The Company complied with the sampling frequencies required by regulation 18 at all of its service reservoirs in 2000.
Table 17.2 shows the Company's performance in 2000, with data for 1999 and combined data for 1998 for comparison. There have been significant increases in the number of treatment works, and samples from service reservoirs in which total coliforms were detected. Other differences between the three years are not considered significant.
Contraventions of the microbiological quality standards at a total of one service reservoir has resulted in the consideration of enforcement action, as shown in table 17.4. All other contraventions of the standards at service reservoirs are considered trivial or unlikely to recur because of remedial action already undertaken by the Company, or are covered by undertakings.
Water quality in water supply zones
The Company complied with the required sampling frequencies in all zones.
Table 17.3 shows the Company's performance in 2000, with data for 1999 and 1998 for comparison. Differences over the last three are not considered significant.
Enforcement action is being considered in respect of some contraventions of standards, as shown in tables 17.3 and 17.4. All other contraventions of the standards in zones are considered trivial, or are covered by undertakings.
Inspection
Audit of plumbosolvency treatment and control programmes of work
In December 2000, Consultants WS Atkins, represented by Mr M Kimber, working under the direction of Mr P Halton, Inspector, carried out an audit of the Company as part of the Inspectorate’s work in agreeing with water companies’ their programmes of works to secure compliance with new lead standards. Based on Mr Kimber’s report, Mr Halton concluded that:
the Company’s process of sites/scheme selection for plumbosolvency treatment and/or optimisation measures is sound;
the Company’s strategy needed revision as a results of more monitoring information were now available;
the schemes audited are justified on water quality reasons; and
the Company is unlikely to install, commission and optimise the plumbosolvency programme of work within the required timescale.
Audit trails of five samples
Mr R M Walls, Consultant, working under the direction of Mr W M Waite, Principal Inspector carried out audit trails on five samples chosen at random. Based on Mr Walls report Mr Waite concluded that:
The sampling and analytical arrangements are generally satisfactory, although some improvements should be made to the operation of control charts. The analytical results have appeared on the Public Record in time.
Follow-up of response to recommendations and handling of water quality complaints
The Inspectorate audited South East Water plc on two occasions in November 2000. The Inspectorate concluded that:
The Company has taken or is taking satisfactory action in respect of some of the recommendations made during 1999. Response to the majority of the recommendations made in respect of operation and management of the distribution network were unsatisfactory;
The Company’s arrangements for handling water quality complaints are generally satisfactory;
The sampling and analytical arrangements are generally satisfactory, although some improvements should be made to the operation of control charts;
The analytical results have appeared on the Public Record in time.
Contraventions of regulation 29(1)(f) in respect of the public record were identified. However remedial action was to be taken speedily, so enforcement action was not necessary.
Review of procedures for operation and maintenance of the distribution network
In December 2000, Consultants Binnie, Black and Veatch working under the direction of Mr W M Waite, Principal Inspector carried a follow up investigation of the recommendations made during the 1999 audit of the Review of Procedures for Operation and Maintenance of the Distribution Network. Based on their report Mr Waite concluded that:
of the original 21 recommendations, the company’s responses were only considered adequate in the case of 3. The company stated that it was currently concentrating on completing their Operating and Maintenance (O&M) Strategy by the end of December 2001 which should address the remaining recommendations.
Inspection of distribution system improvement programme progress
In October 2000, Consultants Parkman Ltd, represented by Mr B Jones, working under the direction of Mr P Halton, Inspector, carried out an audit of the Company’s progress with the mains renovation set out in the distribution Undertaking submitted by the Company. Based on Mr Jones’ report, Mr Halton concluded that:
the objectives of the undertaking remained valid;
the steps to be taken were defined with adequate precision;
a practicable timetable had been set; and
the Company was likely to meet the target renovation length by the date for completion of the work.
As a result of these inspections, 36 recommendations were conveyed to the Company for formal response, over half of them concerning operation and management of the distribution network.
Improvement programmes
Two undertakings in respect of improvement programmes accepted by the Secretary of State from the Company were due for full completion or the completion of major steps during 2000 and all of these were completed on schedule.
The ongoing distribution system improvement programmes due for completion in 2005, which have been implemented by the Company, have been progressing satisfactorily.
Incidents
Seven events notified during 2000 by the Company to the Secretary of State under the terms of the Water Undertakers (Information) Direction 1999 are regarded by the Inspectorate as constituting incidents in which drinking water quality demonstrably deteriorated.
Seven incidents, of which two involved the supply of discoloured water at Pevensey Bay in July and Shottermill in November; two involved the detection of coliforms in service reservoirs at Burgess Hill in February and Nuttely Hill in March and three involved the detection of coliforms in the water supply zones at Beenhams Heath (April) and Ardingley (May and June).
No other events regarded as constituting incidents came to the attention of the Inspectorate in 2000.
Enforcement action
Table 17.4 summarises enforcement action under consideration for the Company as a result of the Inspectorate's work in, or pertaining to, the calendar year 2000.
table 17.1 South East Water plc
MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER LEAVING TREATMENT WORKS2000 1999 1998 Number of water treatment works 63 64 67 Works with no sampling shortfall 63 61 67 COLIFORMS Total number of determinations 5,564 6,153 6,966 - number containing coliforms 12 5 4 - % containing coliforms 0.2 0.1 0.1 Treatment works with coliforms detected 11 5 1 - % of all works 17 8 3 FAECAL COLIFORMS Total number of determinations 5,564 6,153 3,092 - number containing faecal coliforms 7 0 3 - % containing faecal coliforms 0.1 0.0 <0.1 Treatment works with faecal coliforms detected 7 0 1 - % of all works 11 0 1
table 17.2 South East Water plc
MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER IN SERVICE RESERVOIRS2000 1999 1998 Number of service reservoirs 172 171 173 Service reservoirs with no sampling shortfall 172 168 162 COLIFORMS Total number of determinations 8,789 8,797 8,985 - number containing coliforms 37 20 23 - % containing coliforms 0.4 0.3 0.3 Service reservoirs with coliforms detected 29 15 17 Service reservoirs with coliforms detected in more than 5% of samples 3 2 2 - % of all service reservoirs 2 1 1 FAECAL COLIFORMS Total number of determinations 8,789 8,797 8,985 - number containing faecal coliforms 7 5 2 - % containing faecal coliforms 0.1 0.1 <0.1 Service reservoirs with faecal coliforms detected 7 3 2 - % of all service reservoirs 4 2 1
table 17.3 South East Water plc
WATER QUALITY IN SUPPLY ZONESColumns 'CBU' show, for determinations, contraventions covered by undertakings and, for zones, the total number of zones covered by undertakings in 2000. Column 'E' shows the number of zones for which new enforcement action is under consideration as a result of contraventions of the PCV in 2000. Please refer to the Introduction to Part 2 for more detailed explanation of this table. PARAMETER DETERMINATIONS in 2000 ZONES (90 in 2000)* Total Contravening PCV Non-compliant No. % CBU CBU E Number in: 2000 2000 1999 1998 Coliforms 4,045 42 1.0 0 0 3 0 0 7 Faecal coliforms 4,045 4 0.1 0 0 0 4 1 5 Colour 390 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Turbidity 446 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Odour 395 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Taste 395 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hydrogen ion 1,073 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nitrate 515 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nitrite 399 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Aluminium 430 1 0.2 0 0 0 1 0 1 Iron 971 25 2.6 21 29 0 13 14 10 Manganese 464 3 0.6 1 12 0 3 0 1 Lead 231 1 0.4 0 0 0 1 0 3 PAH 290 32 11.0 1 4 0 18 15 17 Trihalomethanes 228 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total pesticides 606 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2, 4-D 493 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Diuron 538 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 7 Simazine 496 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Prochloraz 542 1 0.2 0 0 0 1 0 0 Tri-allate 550 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Other pesticides 20,288 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 All others 6,296 0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 44,119 109 0.25 22 - - - - - *90 zones in 1999; 90 zones in 1998.
table 17.4
SUMMARY OF ENFORCEMENT ACTION CONSIDERED IN 2000Regulation reason for enforcement 3(3)(c) Contravention of the total coliform standard in 3 zones. 3(7) Contravention of the total coliform standard at one treatment works and one reservoir. Water Undertakers (Information) Direction 1998, paragraph 3. Submission of Annual compliance data for all treatment works, service reservoirs and zones.
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Published 11 July 2001
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