Archive:
(for archive/historical purposes, these documents have not been updated)Index of Contents:
- Introduction
- Bacteria
- Pesticides
- Lead
- Iron and Manganese
- Cryptosporidium
- Drinking Water Quality Incidents
- Prosecutions
- Determinations in 1999
1. Introduction
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) checks that water companies supply water that is safe to drink when it reaches your home. This document summarises the results of our checks on South East Water plc during 1999 and should be read in conjunction with DWI's "How Good is the Drinking Water?" leaflet which is available here and also from us free of charge from the address at the end of this document.
South East Water continues to supply you with drinking water of a high quality. In 1999, 99.86% of more than 80,300 tests met the standards. This is above the overall figure for England and Wales of 99.82%
None of the failures in 1999 were likely to harm consumers' health. We assessed each one and, where necessary, we have required South East Water to take action to prevent further failures.
Although the 1999 results are good, we know that there are some matters of everyday concern to consumers. These are detailed below including the steps taken by South East Water to further improve its performance.
2. Bacteria
Whenever bacteria are found in water samples South East Water investigates immediately.
Very occasionally very low numbers of bacteria were detected in the water leaving water treatment works and service reservoirs during 1999. The bacteria found were not harmful to consumers' health. Although the bacteria found were not harmful to consumers' health, the Inspectorate was concerned about the failures at two service reservoirs on the same site. The Company is taking action to prevent the bacteria entering the reservoirs. The number of bacteriological failures at consumers' taps has fallen slightly to just over 0.5% of the samples taken. Many of these detections may be due to the condition of the tap and not the water itself.
3. Pesticides
South East Water carried out more than 25,000 tests for individual pesticides during 1999 and all but one met the very stringent standard. This reflects the significant investment in recent years to install treatment to remove pesticides from drinking water. The Company is installing treatment at its Beenhams Heath water treatment works to remove pesticides from drinking water. The work is due for completion in February 2001.
4. Lead
No samples failed the standard for lead in 1999. Samples occasionally fail the standard for lead, even where additional treatment has been installed to reduce the amount of lead picked up by water from pipework. In many cases these failures are due to the consumer's water pipes being made of lead. In all cases the householder has been informed of things they can do to reduce lead levels at their tap. The Drinking Water Inspectorate advises consumers living in properties with lead pipes to seek advice from their water company. A DWI leaflet about lead in drinking water is also available here and from us free of charge from the address at the end of this document.
5. Iron and Manganese
These two parameters provide a good indication of the overall condition of the mains used to distribute drinking water through the region.
The number of zones failing the standard for iron and manganese is similar to 1998 and 1997. South East Water is carrying out a programme of work to renovate its distribution system. The programme is ongoing, with South East Water being required to renovate more than 890 km of mains by 2005.
6. Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a tiny micro-organism that can sometimes cause a form of diarrhoea called cryptosporidiosis. There are a number of sources of Cryptosporidium other than water but due to new regulations water companies are required by law to sample continuously and analyse daily for Cryptosporidium in the treated water at those sites which have a potential vulnerability. All water companies had to initially conduct risk assessments at their sites to identify if there was any significant risk of contamination. South East Water identified that there was significant risk at 26 of its sites and has made or is making arrangements for continuous sampling and monitoring the treated water at these sites. At all these sites, the Company is required to ensure adequate treatment is in place and it is an offence if the new treatment standard for Cryptosporidium is exceeded. In addition to the regulatory requirement, the company is able to get early warning of problems from this monitoring system.
7. Drinking Water Quality Incidents
During 1999, four incidents in which drinking water quality deteriorated were reported to the Inspectorate. In August 1999 low levels of bacteria were detected in water within Nutley service reservoir although none were detected in the distribution system. In November there was a disinfection failure at Beenhams Heath treatment works but the quality of water into supply was not affected. In November there was further detection of indicator bacteria in Nutley service reservoir, and a burst main at Crowthorne resulted in the supply of discoloured water to consumers in the Woosehill area of Wokingham.
8. Prosecutions
In August, at Hastings Magistrates Court, the Company pleaded guilty to the supply of water unfit for human consumption, having supplied discoloured water to premises in parts of Bexhill in January 1998, following planned changes to the flow of water. The Company was fined £8,000 with over £5,000 costs awarded against the Company.
In November, at Aldershot Magistrates Court, the Company was found guilty to the supply of water unfit for human consumption having supplied discoloured water to premises in the Hindhead and Grayshot areas in March 1998, as a result of planned work at Hindhead service reservoir. The Company was fined £16,000 with over £9,000 costs awarded against the Company.
9. Determinations in 1999
Parameter
Total
Contravening PCV No % Coliforms 4101 24 0.6 Faecal coliforms 4101 1 < 0.1 Colour 508 0 0.0 Turbidity 598 1 0.2 Odour 514 0 0.0 Taste 514 0 0.0 Hydrogen ion 1645 0 0.0 Nitrate 554 0 0.0 Nitrite 553 0 0.0 Aluminium 544 0 0.0 Iron 935 25 2.7 Manganese 541 0 0.0 Lead 324 0 0.0 PAH 426 27 6.3 Trihalomethanes 330 0 0.0 Total pesticides 675 0 0.0 2,4-D 521 0 0.0 Atrazine 525 0 0.0 Bentazone 521 0 0.0 Diuron 636 0 0.0 Isoproturon 636 0 0.0 MCPA 521 0 0.0 MCPB 521 0 0.0 Simazine 525 0 0.0 Tri-allate 517 1 0.2 Other pesticides 20523 0 0.0 Benzo 3,4 pyrene 427 1 0.2 Sulphate 94 0 0.0 All others 7639 0 0.0 Total 50469 80 0.2
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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 12 July 2000 / Updated 11 July 2001
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