Anglian Water Services Limited – Halstead Rural Water Supply Zone Taste and Odour

Notice under regulation 28(4) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended)

Reference: ANH-2022-00003

Version Number: 3

Water undertaker as appointed under section 6 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended): Anglian Water Services Limited, with registered number 02366656 (hereinafter called ‘the Company’).

Assets Affected:

  • ZES27 Halstead Rural Water Supply Zone
  • TECN Earls Colne Water Treatment Works
  • RLMR Little Maplestead Reservoir
  • YECS Earls Colne Supply System

Details of this Notice:

  1. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (‘the Inspectorate’) has received a regulation 28(1) report of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’) from the Company dated 1 November 2021, which states that there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water to Halstead Rural WSZ (and associated assets as applicable) that could constitute a potential danger to human health or could be unwholesome.
  2. Consequently, this Notice is served on the Company by the Inspectorate on behalf of the Secretary of State, under regulation 28(4) for the assets listed above, for risks associated with:

Description of Risk

Hazard/ Hazardous Event/ Parameter

Hazard I D

Failure at asset

Odour

For Example: ANH-ZES27-A003-DI0328

Failure at asset

Taste

For Example: ANH-ZES27-A004-DI0853

Table 1: Table of the hazards, hazardous events, and/or parameters covered by this Notice, including the Hazard I D numbers and the description of risks.
  1. The Company are required to satisfy the following requirements.

The date given is that until or by which the requirements must be maintained or satisfied, as appropriate.

Requirements:

(a) To maintain the following measures for the period specified in each case:

  1. Regular review and update of groundwater risk and risk assessments.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  2. Carry out enhanced monitoring for odour in the raw water and taste and odour in the final water monitoring point at Earls Colne WTW as defined in the audit strategy.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  3. Carry out enhanced monitoring for taste and odour in the Halstead Rural PWSZ, as defined in the audit strategy.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  4. Liaise with the HSA and local authorities in the event of any breach of a health-based standard.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  5. Continue to investigate any taste and odour detections at Earls Colne WTW final water monitoring point.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  6. Report any taste and odour detections from Earls Colne final water monitoring point to the Inspectorate within 1 month.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  7. Continue to monitor customer contacts in the Halstead Rural Public Water Supply Zone (PWSZ).
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  8. Report any taste and odour detections from Halstead Rural Public Water Supply Zone (PWSZ) to the Inspectorate within 1 month.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  9. Monitor the enhanced monitoring results and the odour removal plan effectiveness, as part of the monthly Taste and Odour Task and Finish Group.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice

(b) To review, revise or make operational the following measures, by the dates specified in each case:

  1. Undertake a review of any unusual activity within the aquifer.
    Date: Complete
  2. Design, document and implement an Odour Removal Plan for the system upstream of Halstead Rural PWSZ.
    Date: Complete
  3. Complete investigations into the odour forming compounds upstream.
    Date: Complete
  4. Identify and implement any additional long-term strategies to reduce the risk of any future odour detections.
    Date: 31 July 2023

(c) To audit whether the measures have been effective by the following means:

  1. Define an audit strategy to monitor the effectiveness of the measures specified in sections (a) and (b).
    Date: Complete
  2. Implement, and keep under continuous review, the audit strategy defined in measure (c)1.
    Date: Following completion of measure (c)1. onwards.

(d) Not to supply water for regulation 4(1) purposes to Halstead Rural WSZ, or not to supply unless the specified conditions below are satisfied:

  1. Not Applicable

(e) To provide the following information in the time and manner specified below to enable monitoring of progress towards the mitigation of the risks:

  1. Provide a progress report annually.
    Date: by 31 January each year.
  2. Provide report on review of any unusual activity within the aquifer.
    Date: Complete
  3. Provide a report on the Odour Removal Plan for the system upstream of Halstead Rural PWSZ.
    Date: Complete
  4. Provide a report on the investigation into the odour forming compounds upstream.
    Date: Complete
  5. Provide report on the identification and implementation of any additional long-term strategies to reduce the risk of any future odour detections.
    Date: 31 August 2023
  6. Submit the audit strategy for auditing the effectiveness of the measures, as specified in measure (c)1.
    Date: Complete
  7. Submit any revisions of the audit strategy produced under measure (c)2.
    Date: Within 1 month of a revision
  8. Submit a report in the event that any completed measures of this Notice need to be altered in any way, for any reason.
    Date: Ongoing for the duration of this Notice
  9. Submit a satisfactory completion report accompanied by a revised regulation 28(1) report with Board level Director sign-off.
    Date: 31 August 2024

Further Details of this Notice:

  1. Any product or substance used as a result of the requirements in this Notice must comply with regulation 31.
  2. Under regulation 28(6) the Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State, may by notice served on the Company, revoke or vary this Notice.
  3. Failure by the Company to comply with this Notice may result in enforcement proceedings under section 18 of the Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended).

Signed

Nicholas Adjei
Deputy Chief Inspector, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9 February 2023
Reference: ANH-2022-00003 V3

Back to top