Archive:
(for archive/historical purposes, this document has not been updated)Index of Contents:
- Introduction
- Bacteria
- Pesticides
- Lead
- Iron and Manganese
- Cryptosporidium
- Drinking Water Quality Incidents
- Determinations in 1998
1. Introduction
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) checks that water companies supply water that is safe to drink when it reaches your home. This leaflet summarises the results of our checks on South Staffordshire Water Plc during 1998 and should be read in conjunction with DWI's "How Good is the Drinking Water?" leaflet which is available from us free of charge.
South Staffordshire continues to supply you with drinking water of a high quality. The number of results not meeting the standards has fallen consistently since 1991 and in 1998, 99.89% of more than 33,500 tests met the standards. This is above the overall figure for England and Wales of 99.78%.
None of the failures in 1998 were likely to harm consumers' health. We assessed each one and, where necessary, we have required South Staffordshire Water to take action to prevent further failures.
Although the 1998 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 Staffordshire Water to improve its performance.
2. Bacteria
Whenever bacteria are found in water samples South Staffordshire Water investigates immediately.
Occasionally low numbers of bacteria were detected in the water leaving a small number of water treatment works during 1998. The bacteria found were not harmful to consumers' health. The Inspectorate was concerned about the failures at one works and the Company is taking action to improve this site. The number of bacteriological failures at consumers' taps has fallen to 0.5% of the samples taken. Many of these failures maybe due to the condition of the tap and not the water itself.
3. Pesticides
South Staffordshire Water carried out more than 800 tests for individual pesticides during 1998 and all met the stringent standard. This reflects the significant investment in recent years to install treatment to remove pesticides from drinking water.
4. Lead
In 1998 South Staffordshire Water continued to meet fully the relevant standards for lead. 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 from us free of charge.
5. Iron and Manganese and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
These three parameters provide a good indication of the overall condition of the mains used to distribute drinking water through the region.
A small number of samples failed the standard for iron in 1998 and the Inspectorate has required the Company to take action to improve the situation in two of its water supply zones. No samples failed the standards for manganese or PAH. This position reflects the impact of the programme of work carried out by South Staffordshire Water to renovate its distribution system.
6. Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a tiny micro-organism which can sometimes cause a form of diarrhoea called cryptosporidiosis. No instances were reported to the Inspectorate of the detection of cryptosporidium in water leaving South Staffordshire Water's water treatment works during 1998.
Water companies will shortly be required to sample continuously and analyse daily for cryptosporidium in the treated water at their most vulnerable sites. It will be an offence if they fail to meet a new treatment standard.
7. Drinking Water Quality Incidents
No incidents were reported by the Company to the Inspectorate in 1998.
8. Determinations in 1998
Parameter
Total
Contravening PCV No % Coliforms 3515 17 0.5 Faecal coliforms 3515 0 0.0 Colour 662 0 0.0 Turbidity 669 1 0.1 Odour 662 0 0.0 Taste 662 0 0.0 Hydrogen ion 662 0 0.0 Nitrate 662 0 0.0 Nitrite 662 0 0.0 Aluminium 662 0 0.0 Iron 683 8 1.2 Manganese 662 0 0.0 Lead 161 0 0.0 PAH 160 0 0.0 Trihalomethanes 424 0 0.0 Total pesticides 477 0 0.0 Atrazine 173 0 0.0 MCPA 160 0 0.0 Mecoprop 160 0 0.0 Other pesticides 493 0 0 All others 8905 0 0.0 Total 24631 26 0.1
[ Previous ] [ Contents ] [ Next ]
| A - Z Index | Business and Technical | Consumer Information | Contacting us |
| DWI Home Page | News | Product Approval | Search our site | Wales |
Drinking Water Inspectorate,
Floor 2/A1, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DE
Telephone : 020 7944 5956 - Facsimile : 020 7944 5969
E-mail: dwi_enquiries@detr.gov.uk
Updated 11 July 2001
Return to Publications and Reports Index
Return to Drinking Water Inspectorate Home Page
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)Home Page
The National Assembly for Wales / Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru Home Page
Web site terms
© Crown copyright 2001