Working for the DWI

Working for the Drinking Water Inspectorate is an opportunity for committed, self-motivated, organised, resourceful and flexible team workers to gain experience in a regulatory delivery unit responsible for drinking water quality in England and Wales.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) is made up of an inclusive team of experienced technical Inspectors, as well as specialists within the Business Performance and Data Units. Together, staff within the Inspectorate work to maintain the highest drinking water quality in England and Wales.

Upon joining us, you will gain access to a wide range of learning and development offered by the Civil Service, an annual leave allowance which increases year on year from 25 up to 30 days, and a Civil Service pension. As an Inspector, you automatically become a member of the Civil Service Science Profession, which runs a range of training courses and a popular annual conference.

The Civil Service is committed to continuously increasing the diversity of its workforce and welcomes employees from all backgrounds and walks of life. The Inspectorate operates a flexible working pattern which includes home-working.

If you have any questions about any of the roles currently advertised or a more general question about working for the Inspectorate, please contact dwi.enquiries@defra.gov.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.

Latest job opportunities

Drinking Water Advisory Standards Board – Members

Following the UK’s separation from Europe there is no longer the requirement to transpose the Drinking Water directive into national legislation. The ‘standards board’ is therefore being established by the Drinking Water Inspectorate to provide advice on the most appropriate water quality standards to be adopted into national legislation.

The standards board will have the opportunity to set water quality standards for the future revisions of the Water Quality regulations.

Applications are invited from people at all levels in the water industry, who wish to join the board and who can demonstrate experience of developing drinking water quality regulations and standards, water safety planning and risk management, chemical, or microbiological safety of drinking water.

We are seeking an influential and respected drinking water professional, with experience at a senior level, in research, regulatory or management role, in the UK or internationally, able to provide authoritative guidance on standards.

Desirable knowledge and experience are set out below:

• Understand and use toxicity data
• Experience in regulatory standards for drinking water
• Worked within a regulatory environment
• Worked on drinking water standards for the World Health Organisation
• Experience of water safety planning
• Chartered in a relevant scientific discipline
• Considerable drinking water industry experience
• Significant academic, scientific or operational experience
• A passion for drinking water quality

Board members will be paid £39 per hour for up to one day’s work per month which will involve reviewing papers and evidence and attending meetings – primarily virtual with in person meetings when required, travel and subsistence will be paid for those attending meetings.

The term of appointment will be approximately 5 years which will coincide with the proposed update of the schedules within the regulations on a 5 yearly cycle. Following the conclusion of the 5 yearly cycle all members of the standards board must stand down the secretariat provided by the DWI will seek applications for a new standards board, previous members are not excluded from re-joining. 

Should any member of the standards board wish to leave during the 5 yearly cycles then they must notify the secretariat giving notice so that a replacement may be sought. 

Membership of the standards board will be required to comply with standards and behaviour as set out below: 

Integrity

You must	Fulfil your duties and obligations responsibly
You must	Always act in a way that is professional and that deserves and retains the confidence of all those with whom you have dealings
You must not	Misuse your official position, for example by using information acquired in the course of your official duties to further your private interests or those of others
You must not	Accept gifts or hospitality or receive other benefits from anyone which might reasonably be seen to compromise your personal judgement or integrity
You must not	Disclose official information without authority

Honesty

You must	Set out the facts and relevant issues truthfully, and correct any errors as soon as possible
You must	Use resources only for the authorised public purposes for which they are provided
You must not	Deceive or knowingly mislead ministers, Parliament or others
You must not	Be influenced by improper pressures from others or the prospect of personal gain

Objectivity

You must	Provide information and advice, including advice to the Chief Inspector and ministers, on the basis of the evidence, and accurately present the options and facts
You must	Take decisions on the merits of the case
You must	Take due account of expert and professional advice
You must not	Ignore inconvenient facts or relevant considerations when providing advice or making decisions
You must not	Frustrate the implementation of policies once decisions are taken by declining to take, or abstaining from, action which flows from those decisions

Impartiality

You must	Carry out your responsibilities in a way that is fair, just and equitable
You must not	Act in a way that unjustifiably favours or discriminates against particular individuals or interests

No member of the standards board shall put an individual water licensee or stakeholder agenda ahead of public health, such action will result in immediate expulsion from the board.

A recruitment pack is available upon request from the board secretariat at DWI.Standardsboard@Defra.gov.uk

Should you wish to apply for the role of board member please submit a CV and single page covering letter to DWI.Standardsboard@Defra.gov.uk

The closing date for the positions is 3 February 2023.