South East Water Limited – Pembury Water Treatment Works Turbidity
DRAFT Enforcement Order – Section 18 of the Water Industry Act 1991
Reference: SEW-2025-00042
Version Number: DRAFT
Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (‘the Act’): South East Water Limited, with registered number 02679874, registered at Rocfort Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5AH (hereinafter called ‘the company’).
Details of this Order:
- The company has failed to comply with a notice served under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’) (reference SEW-2025-00041), which itself was required to mitigate the risk of supplying water that could constitute a danger to human health or which could be unwholesome, and thereby also needed for compliance with the company’s duty under section 68(1)(a) of the Act, with reference to regulation 4 of the Regulations.
- The company was notified on 24 December 2025 of the Inspectorate’s intention to make an enforcement order under section 18 of the Act in respect of the contravention of the requirements of a notice issued under regulation 28(4) of the Regulations.
- The Inspectorate has considered any representations or objections to the proposed order, which were duly made and not withdrawn.
- The Chief Inspector of Drinking Water makes this enforcement order under section 18(1) of the Act for the purposes of securing compliance with the requirements of the notice issued under regulation 28(4) (reference: SEW-2025-00041).
Requirements:
- The company is hereby required to complete the steps and reporting outlined in the attached Schedule of Works with effect from the day after this order is made.
Reference: SEW-2025-00042 [DRAFT]
DRAFT Schedule of Works
South East Water Limited– Pembury Water Treatment Works Turbidity
Date: DRAFT
Reference: SEW-2025-00042
Version Number: DRAFT
Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): South East Water Limited, with registered number 02679874, at registered address Rocfort Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5AH (hereinafter called ‘the company’).
Assets Affected:
- T013 – Pembury Water Treatment Works
Steps to be taken:
The company is required to implement the following steps by the date given in each case.
- Optimise the existing treatment process at Pembury water treatment works.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this order - Operate the treatment process at Pembury water treatment works in accordance with company policies and procedures.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this order - Enhanced monitoring at Pembury water treatment works for microbiological and chemical parameters, as listed in schedule 1 to the Regulations, before and after the installation of the microfiltration process (as required under step 6). Enhanced in this context is weekly samples for microbiological parameters and turbidity monitoring of post-GAC and post-Filtration as part of commissioning process, as defined in the company’s audit strategy.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this order - Investigate any sample result that breaches the Prescribed Concentration or Value (PCV), in accordance with company policies and procedures. Maintain appropriate contingency plans (including liaison with relevant stakeholders as appropriate) to protect human health.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this order - Implement, and keep under continuous review, the audit strategy originally defined in step (c)1 of regulation 28(4) notice SEW-2025-00041.
Date: Ongoing for the duration of this order - Complete the installation and commissioning of a microfiltration stage at Pembury water treatment works.
Date: 13 February 2026 - Define and document the operating parameters of the microfiltration plant (the maximum and minimum conditions of operation, and how this is monitored and acted upon) at Pembury water treatment works.
Date: 30 April 2026
Reporting
Provide the Inspectorate with the following reports as specified.
- Report: Quarterly progress reports
Detail: Provide reports on the progress made with implementing the steps to be taken. Reports should include a statement of implications of any delays to the steps to be taken and details of all activities planned to bring the programme back on target.
Date: 31 January 2026, 30 April 2026, 31 July 2026, 31 October 2026, 31 January 2027 - Report: Completion of installation and commissioning
Detail: Provide a report detailing the completion of installation and commissioning of microfiltration system at Pembury Treatment Works as required in step 6.
Date: 28 February 2026 - Report: Monitoring report
Detail: Report the parameters and operational data of the performance of the microfiltration plant, installed at Pembury works, as required in step 7.
Date: 31 May 2026 - Report: Delay or change report
Detail: If the company has any reason to believe it may not be able to meet any of the dates set out in this Schedule of Works, it must notify the Inspectorate as soon as reasonably practicable after being made aware and in any case, within one month.
Date: as soon as reasonably practicable after being made aware and in any case, within one month; ongoing for the duration of the order - Report: Change of audit strategy
Detail: Submit any revisions of the audit strategy referenced in step 5.
Date: Within 1 month of a revision - Report: Change report
Detail: Submit a report in the event that any completed steps of this order need to be altered in any way, for any reason.
Date: As soon as reasonably practicable after being made aware and in any case, within one month; ongoing for the duration of the order - Report: Completion report
Detail: Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board-level Director sign-off.
Date: 28 February 2027
Further Details of this Order
- Any product or substance used as a result of the requirements in this Notice must comply with regulation 31 of the Regulations.