Information Letter

Information Letter 10/2007

28th December 2007

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

UPDATED GUIDANCE ON THE NOTIFICATION OF EVENTS

Dear Sir or Madam

Background

1. Water companies are required to notify the Inspectorate of any event, which by its nature has adversely affected or is likely to adversely affect the quality or sufficiency of the water supplied. This requirement is set out in paragraph 7(1) of the Water Undertakers (Information) Direction 2004 (‘the Direction’), which came into effect on 16 January 2004. Similar requirements were set out in earlier Directions.
   
   
2. Paragraph 7 of the Direction provides generic guidance on the notification of events and the associated provision of information. Over the years the Inspectorate has responded to requests from the water industry to provide more detailed guidance and this has been done by way of Information Letters, the most recent being Information Letter 12/2004.

Purpose

3. The purpose of this letter is to share with the industry the Inspectorate’s revised guidance on the notification of events. This update incorporates a number of historic amendments in the process around notifiable events following changes such as DWI restructuring, industry learning, etc. since the previous issue.
   
   
4. The guidance takes the form of a stand alone document, a copy of which is attached, and is available on the DWI website in the section ‘Guidance notes and codes of practice’. The guidance will be reviewed and revised at regular intervals and in the light of experience. The Inspectorate expects companies to take account of the guidance in deciding on whether or not to notify, and in training of staff who have responsibility for the operational management and reporting of events and incidents.

Enquiries

5. Any enquiries regarding this letter should be made to Laura Moss.
   
   
6. 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; Natalie Howes, Climate Change and Water Division, Welsh Assembly Government; Colin McLaren, Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland; Randal Scott, Drinking Water Inspectorate for Northern Ireland; Tony Smith and Chairs of the Regional Consumer Council for Water; Rowena Tye for Office of Water Services; Baroness Young, Environment Agency; Tony Warn, Environment Agency; Nigel Harrison, Food Standards Agency; and Gary Coleman at the Health Protection Agency.

Yours sincerely

Sharon A Evans
Deputy Chief Inspector of Drinking Water