- Drinking Water 2024 – Summary of the Chief Inspector’s report for drinking water in England
- Foreword
- Water supplies and testing
- Compliance with water quality standards
- Water quality events
- Asset health and service reservoir integrity
- Consumer contacts
- Water safety planning and risk assessment
- Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
- Audit programme completed by the Inspectorate
- Enforcement, transformation and recommendations
- Lead in water
- Materials in contact with drinking water (Regulation 31)
- Security and Emergencies (SEMD)
- Network Information systems (NIS)
- Research publications
- Raw water data
- Whistleblowers
- Working with stakeholders
- Annex A – Number of tests carried out by companies
- Annex B – Compliance with standards
- Annex C – Compliance failures and events
Whistleblowers
The Chief Inspector of Drinking Water and Inspectors appointed under section 86(1) of the Water Industry Act 1991 became ‘prescribed persons’ and are part of the Prescribed Persons Order 2014 as amended (the Order). This means that any employees, ex-employees, or contractors can report information to the Inspectorate concerning wrongdoing (known as whistleblowing) and will be afforded certain protections under the Order and the Employment Rights Act 1996. In general terms, a person passing on information concerning wrongdoing (making a disclosure) should not suffer detriment or victimisation from their employers.
The type of disclosure that would typically qualify as a protected disclosure under the Order would be if it relates to the quality and sufficiency of water supplied by the water industry, and the security of network and information systems within the supply and distribution sector. This will likely be information pertaining to a breach or potential breach of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016 (as amended), the Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 as amended (SEMD) and the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018 or the company not meeting its obligations relating to water quality or sufficiency or potentially committing an offence under the Water Industry Act 1991.
Any persons wishing to report a concern or potential concern regarding suspected or known wrongdoing which the Inspectorate can investigate should do so by contacting the DWI Enquiries line (dwi.enquiries@defra.gov.uk or 0330 041 6501). The Inspectorate treats all disclosures made by whistleblowers sensitively and seriously and follows up each disclosure with an appropriate investigation. The Inspectorate will protect the identity of any individual making an allegation wherever possible. However, in certain circumstances the Inspectorate may be required to reveal the identity, if required by law.
Eleven disclosures have been made to Inspectorate for the reporting period 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025. Of the eleven disclosures made seven required further investigation. One disclosure was referred to an alternative body. Relevant action was taken from five of the disclosures made after these were investigated by the Inspectorate. This included the issuing of recommendations and legal instruments.
The Inspectorate encourages water companies to have processes in place for employees and contractors to be encouraged and feel that they can speak up to report concerns around working practices which may impact on the company’s duties to meet its regulatory and statutory obligations for drinking water quality and network and information systems.
To help foster an open and supportive culture the Inspectorate encourages companies to take initiatives such as a reporting line for water quality and network information system concerns (similar to which some companies have in place to report health and safety concerns) and to have a formal whistleblowing policy in place, which is also encouraged by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy who has published a whistleblowing guidance for employer’s code of practice.