South West Water Limited – Metaldehyde and Total Pesticides

Water Industry Act 1991 (as amended) (“the Act”): Section 19(1)(b)

Reference: BRL-2023-00001

Acceptance Notice:

The Drinking Water Inspectorate, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs:

1. Is satisfied that South West Water Ltd “the Company” in supplying water from the water treatment works listed in Annex A, may be at risk of exceeding the standards for Metaldehyde and Total Pesticides. This means that the Company is likely to contravene its duty in respect of supplying water which meets the Regulations under Section 68(1)(a) of the Water Industry Act 1991 and meets the requirement set in regulation 4(2)(c) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended) (“the Regulations”).
2. Has notified the Company on 01 February 2023 that the Secretary of State considering making in relation to the company an enforcement order under Section 18 of the Act.
3. Notes that the Company has on 27 February 2023 given a new undertaking under Section 19 (1) (b) of the Act, to take the following steps by the dates shown.

Steps to be taken:

1. Ensure that metaldehyde has been assessed as a hazard as part of the Regulation 28 Risk Assessment for the supply systems supplied by all Water Treatment Works (WTWs) listed in the Annex to this Schedule of Works, according to a Drinking Water Safety Plan approach.  
   Date: Ongoing
2. Companies shall implement all actions as defined in their actions plans submitted to the Inspectorate on 30 September 2014.
   Date: Complete
3. Companies shall implement additional transitional arrangements during the period of stock use, ensuring the maintenance of supportive relationships with farming community.
   Date: Complete
4. Continue with enhanced raw water monitoring programme to inform risk.  
   Date: Ongoing until the revocation of this undertaking
5. Where ongoing significant risks are identified the company shall continue the DWSP approach and appropriate measures to mitigate the risk shall continue to be implemented.  
   Date: Ongoing until the revocation of this undertaking
6. Liaise with the Environment Agency where there are continued detections in raw water. 
   Date: Ongoing until the revocation of this undertaking
7. Continually appraise the risk of metaldehyde and the total pesticides parameters as hazards in raw waters as part of the regulation 27 Risk Assessment for the supply system(s) associated with each relevant treatment works according to a Drinking Water Safety Plan approach and ensure that regulation 28 documents are regularly reviewed and updates provided as appropriate. 
   Date: Ongoing

Reporting:

1. Provide DWI with reports on progress with carrying out the steps set out in the undertaking. Reports to include at least the following: Metaldehyde monitoring data for the raw and final water at the WTWs listed in Annex 1, including trend analysis; Current state of progress with the catchment measures; Current state of progress with operational control and summary of effectiveness.
   Date: Annually for the duration of the undertaking. Reporting periods are January – December. Reports to be submitted by 31 January each year.
2. Provide a final report to the Inspectorate on the efficacy of the steps taken as part of this undertaking. Include, as evidence of closure for this scheme, appropriate documentation to confirm that the actions set out in this Schedule of Work have been completed satisfactorily.
   Date: When there is sufficient evidence of suitable mitigation of the risk (i.e. 3 years of samples below 0.1 µg/l and evidence of stable or decreasing raw water trends) or by 31 March 2025

Further Details of this Acceptance Notice:

4. The Secretary of State satisfied that South West Water Ltd has given and is complying with an undertaking to take all such steps as appear to the Secretary of State for the time being to be appropriate to secure or facilitate compliance with the requirement of regulation 4(2)(c) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended).

Authorised by the Secretary of State to sign in that behalf

Nicholas Adjei
Deputy Chief Inspector, Drinking Water Inspectorate
01 March 2023
Reference: BRL-2023-00001