Information Letter

DWI Information Letter 04/2005

08 April 2005

To: Board Level and Day to Day Contacts of Water and Sewerage Companies and Water Companies in England and Wales

Dear Sir or Madam

NEW STRUCTURE OF THE DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE.

Purpose

1. The purpose of this letter is to advise the water industry and other key stakeholders of organisational changes in DWI.  The senior appointments came into effect on 1 April 2005. Other appointments are in the process of being made, with the intention of having the new structure in place when DWI moves to 55 Whitehall in early June.

Background

2. Over the last 18 months there have been an increasing number of drivers for structural change within DWI. Defra has commissioned a number of reviews and consultations to look at the best options for the future operation of regulatory bodies and agencies that belong to the Defra family, including DWI. We were also aware of the need to update our performance targets to reflect the new Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations. Furthermore, succession planning was identified as a priority given that several senior members of DWI were due to retire in 2005.
   
   
3. In December 2004 the Chief Inspector for Drinking Water produced a discussion document on the need for change. This summarised work that commenced at an ‘Away day’ in February 2004 involving all Inspectorate staff and continued at bimonthly staff meetings and smaller team meetings throughout 2004. This involvement of staff in collectively developing and shaping the direction of the future of DWI was given a high priority for the benefits it brings of embedding knowledge and improving communications.

Organisation and Implementation

4. An outline of the new structure is given in Annex 1, along with the details of the purpose of the senior posts. A chart showing the new structure as of 1 April is also included.
   
   
5. The new structure also provides an opportunity to reallocate water company responsibilities. This will now be on a regional basis and high level details are given in Annex 2. In terms of implementation, there will be an interregnum until 1st June to coincide with the move of the Inspectorate to 55 Whitehall Place. During this period Inspectors will continue to work with their current companies, thereby completing the cycle for the Chief Inspector’s Annual Report for 2004. Inspectors will also use this period to familiarise themselves with their new companies. We will provide regular updates of progress with the new arrangements.
   
   
6. Throughout the change process and thereafter, there will be close collaboration between the three teams that make up the new DWI. This will not only help to provide a better service to the industry and others but will also provide Inspectors with opportunities for development in all aspects of the drinking water regulatory framework.

Enquiries

7. Copies of this letter are being sent to Pamela Taylor, Chief Executive, Water UK; Richard Wood, Water Supply and Regulation Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; June Milligan, Environment Division, Welsh Assembly Government; Tim Hooton, Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland; Randal Scott, Drinking Water Inspectorate for Northern Ireland; the Chairs of the Regional WaterVoice Committees; Rowena Tye and Tony Smith, Office of Water Services; Tony Warn, the Environment Agency; Nigel Harrison, Food Standards Agency; and Gary Coleman at the Health Protection Agency.
   
   
8. This letter is being sent electronically to Board Level contacts. Please acknowledge receipt by email to dwi.informationletters@defra.gsi.gov.uk . Hard copies are not being sent but the letter may be freely copied. Any enquiries about the letter should be addressed directly to me.

Yours sincerely

Yours sincerely

Miss C R Jackson
Deputy Chief Inspector of Drinking Water

ANNEX 1 - The New Structure of DWI

Principles

The water industry in England and Wales is essentially self regulating in terms of drinking water supplies. Thus the core process of DWI is technical audit of water companies to ensure that they are meeting their regulatory duties. Technical audit falls into two clear categories, which differ in delivery timescales and approach. The new structure recognises this and applies an equal weight of leadership and strategic development to both arms of the core technical audit process through the appointment of two Deputy Chief Inspectors. One will lead the audit activities that impact on water company day to day operations, and the other will lead the audit activities that impact on the longer term water company asset maintenance and quality improvement activities.

This twin track approach to technical audit facilitates the management of the Inspectorate’s strategic relationships with other regulators/stakeholders at national, regional and local level. The disposition of resources between the two delivery units reflects the volume of data transactions and communications between DWI and water companies. The approach also anticipates the “lumpy” nature of other work flows occasioned by other regulatory processes, for example, the five year periodic reviews of water prices. Built into the structure is the capacity to refocus resources responsively across the delivery units.

In terms of its relationship with the water industry as a whole and its national leadership role in respect of drinking water science and regulation, DWI is involved with a number of ongoing strategic processes. These include the identification of new drinking water quality risks/hazards (principally but not exclusively through research), assessment and approval of products and processes, technical guidance on regulations and standards, specifying water quality risk management and monitoring competencies through professional body CPD schemes and other accreditation systems, and public reporting on drinking water quality. Collectively these processes inform and shape the core process of technical audit. They pull together, direct and communicate professional knowledge and expertise on drinking water quality nationally. This role is reflected in the new structure through the appointment of a Drinking Water Strategy Manager and the integration into a single unit the resources addressing drinking water quality risk assessment, performance management and standards, communications and business support. The shape of the structure anticipates the need for the Inspectorate to implement improved knowledge management and communications processes.

At the heart of the Inspectorate’s success to date, and key to its national standing and credibility are its core staff resources - Inspectors and Principal Inspectors. These posts remain unchanged in their purpose.

Following on from implementation of the new Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations on 1 January 2004, the Inspectorate has designed and commissioned new data systems for handling drinking water quality data from the water companies. The criticality of water quality data handling to the performance of the technical audit process and the capability of the Inspectorate to report on drinking water quality compliance is reflected in the new structure with the creation of two Assistant Water Quality Data Manager posts to support the Water Quality Data Manager. One will focus on system development, and the other on operational performance. The overall aim is to enable Inspectors to move to a risk based approach to technical audit of water companies, coupled with improved service delivery. Such a risk based approach is consistent with the WHO policy (water safety plan approach), which is DWI supports fully.

Job Definitions for the senior appointments in DWI

Chief Inspector of Drinking Water

Appointed by the Secretary of State under Section 86 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (‘the Act’) to act on her and NAW’s behalf in relation to the enforcement of water quality
To develop and lead the DWI, as the independent regulator for the quality of public water supplies in England and Wales
To institute proceedings, as appropriate, under Section 86(6) of the Act; under Section 70 of the Act for the supply of water unfit for human consumption; and for offences under regulation 33 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 in England, and 2001 in Wales (‘The Regulations’)
To arrange for the identification and assessment of new issues or hazards relating to drinking water quality and health and commission research or implement regulatory safeguards, as required
To arrange for the assessment and approval of products and processes used in the provision of drinking water supplies
To ensure that consumers are appropriately informed about the quality of drinking water supplied by water companies and to assess consumer complaints when local and regional procedures have been exhausted
To provide scientific and technical advice to Ministers and officials of Defra and NAW on drinking water quality and health policy issues.
To act as Head of Profession for Drinking Water Science within Defra

Deputy Chief Inspector (Operations)

To deputise for the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water in respect of her powers and duties set out in the relevant legislation
To develop and manage the process of technical audit of water companies’ supply operations in England and Wales, including their analytical sampling and reporting arrangements and to initiate any associated enforcement action
To develop and manage the Inspectorate’s resources and processes for handling and assessing technical data provided by water companies, as set out in the Information Direction 2004
To develop and manage the Inspectorate’s resources and processes for ensuring that all events that impact or are likely to impact on the quality and sufficiency of the water supplied are technically assessed and acted upon in the public interest
To develop and manage the Inspectorate’s resources and processes for ensuring that consumer complaints on drinking water quality are assessed and acted upon in the public interest
and consumer complaints
To provide scientific and technical advice on the operational safety and security of drinking water supply operations to the water industry and to Ministers and officials of Defra and NAW
To develop and keep up to date the Inspectorate’s emergency response and business contingency plans
To develop and manage the Inspectorate’s resources and processes for opening up the water industry to competition
To develop and support the communications and knowledge management strategies of the Inspectorate, particularly in respect of managing the Inspectorate’s relationship with local authorities, health authorities and WaterVoice committees

Deputy Chief Inspector (Regulations)

To deputise for the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water in respect of her powers and duties set out in the relevant legislation
To develop and manage the process of technical audit of the drinking water quality improvement programmes of water companies, from acceptance of scheme through to completion
To develop and manage the Inspectorate’s resources and processes for handling and assessing technical and other data provided by water companies in respect of the economic regulator’s process of setting water prices.
To develop and manage the enforcement process associated with drinking water quality improvement programmes.
To act as the lead for the Inspectorate in respect of the drinking water regulatory aspects of implementation of the Water Framework Directive with particular emphasis on working closely with the lead WFD regulators (EA, EN).
To manage the Inspectorate’s the process for appointment and management of consultants.
To provide scientific and technical advice on regulatory compliance issues to the water industry and to Ministers and officials of Defra and NAW
To develop and support the communications and the knowledge management strategies of the Inspectorate, particularly in respect of managing the Inspectorate’s relationship with the economic regulator, and environmental regulators.

Drinking Water Strategy Manager

To deputise for the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water in respect of her responsibilities as Head of Profession for Drinking Water Science
To develop and manage the Inspectorate’s process of identifying and assessing new drinking water issues and hazards
To manage the Inspectorate’s relationships with the World Health Organisation, the EU Commission, other UK drinking water regulators, Water UK and UKWIR, such that the Inspectorate is well positioned as a global leader in drinking water quality regulation.
To manage the review process for the Inspectorate’s Guidance to the water industry on interpretation of the Regulations and, in conjunction with Defra officials and legal advisers, revise the regulations to correct errors, omissions and ambiguities
To ensure the UK regulatory framework supports the implementation by the water industry of the WHO drinking water safety plan approach
To ensure the effective functioning of the Inspectorate’s business performance and office services unit
To ensure the Inspectorate secures value for money from the Drinking Water Quality and Health Research Budget
To arrange for the approval of products and processes used in the supply of drinking water (CPP)
To provide scientific and technical advice on drinking water science issues to the water industry and to Ministers and officials of Defra and NAW
To develop and support the Inspectorate’s Communications and Knowledge Management Strategies, particularly in respect of managing the Inspectorate’s relationships with the Department of Health, the Food Standards Agency and the Health Protection Agency
To provide resources and oversee processes in support of relevant NDPB’s i.e. CPP and Expert Group on Cryptosporidium

Principal Inspectors in the Operations and Regulations Delivery Units

To support the relevant Deputy Chief Inspectors - job descriptions unchanged

Principal Inspectors in the Drinking Water Strategy Unit

Principal Inspector (Drinking Water Risk Analysis)

To identify and assess new drinking water quality issues and hazards through commissioning of appropriate research, preparing and publishing papers and representing DWI on relevant national and international forums, networks and committees.
To plan, manage and report on the efficient and effective delivery of WD Water Quality & Health Research Programme
To regularly review and keep up to date the Inspectorate’s Guidance to the water industry on interpretation of the scientific aspects of the Regulations
To provide scientific and technical advice on drinking water quality and science issues to the water industry and officials of Defra and NAW.
To act as a mentor to Inspectors in facilitating their continued professional development
To act as professional reviewer and/or author the technical content of the Chief Inspector’s Annual Report, the DWI website and briefings for media etc.
To promote and develop the Inspectorate’s academic national and global relations and collaborative partnerships e.g. UKWiR, AWWARF.
To support the DW Strategy Manager with the implementation of the WHO Water Safety Plan Approach in the context of the drinking water regulatory framework for England and Wales.

Principal Inspector (Drinking Water Quality Measurement)

To regularly review and keep up to date national standards and methods for the chemical and microbiological analysis of drinking water through effective collaborative working with delivery partners (accreditation and standards agencies such as UKAS, SCA)
To represent the Inspectorate on national and international standards committees e.g. BSI and CEN
To represent the Inspectorate on external laboratory control schemes for the analysis of drinking water
To represent the Inspectorate in setting up regulatory frameworks for analytical systems for drinking water quality in EU Accession States and other interested countries
To regularly review and keep up to date the Inspectorate’s Guidance to the water industry on interpretation of the analytical science aspects of the Regulations.
To provide scientific and technical advice on drinking water analysis issues to the water industry and officials of Defra and NAW.
To act as a mentor to Inspectors in facilitating their continued professional development
To act as professional reviewer of the analytical elements of the process of technical audit e.g. compliance assessment, vertical audit, laboratory AQC
To manage and develop the Inspectorate’s process for benchmarking the laboratory audits

Chart showing new structure, plus Annex 2 - DWI regional responsibilities (in Word format)