Our Ref: DWI/2/10 Event 30/10 Date: 9 June ... - Derry City Council

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5.3.4 The PHA advised NI Water on 31 December 2010 that there should be increased monitoring at Clay Lake WTWs and enhanced monitoring in the distribution systems and this was also to apply to other WTWs receiving tankered water. After this date, Carran Hill WTWs was sampled daily and Clay Lake WTWs was sampled daily except for 4 January 2011. However, Camlough WTWs was not sampled on the 1, 2 or 3 January 2011 and there were no additional distribution samples taken. The Inspectorate requested an explanation as to why these additional samples were not taken. 5.4 Regulation 15 Sampling: new sources NI Water has a responsibility to ensure it has taken adequate precautions before bringing sources into supply which are not currently in use. Regulation 15 requires NI Water to put in place appropriate monitoring of any new source, either before bringing in the source, or as soon as practicable afterwards. NI Water may, however, bring in new sources as a matter of urgency in order to prevent an unexpected interruption in supply, but this may only be done in circumstances where a regulation 27 risk assessment has been carried out. In bringing in the Cabragh and Glarryford boreholes, as these supplies had not been in use for the preceding 6 months, NI Water was required to have undertaken monitoring and a risk assessment. Appropriate monitoring was undertaken for these boreholes to enable these supplies to be brought into service. 5.5 Regulation 16 Collection and analysis of samples This regulation details specific requirements for the collection and analysis of samples. The Inspectorate requires an assurance from NI Water that all personnel, including contractors, who were taking samples during the incident, had been accredited to undertake sampling or had undergone appropriate training, and that samples were taken, handled and transported appropriately in compliance with this regulation. 5.6 Regulation 17 and 18 Investigations Where NI Water has reason to believe that the water supplied fails, or is likely to fail, to meet the standards of wholesomeness specified in the regulations, it is required to investigate the cause of that failure or likely failure. Normal reporting and assessment procedures apply to investigations of all contraventions. 34 contraventions were notified to the Inspectorate under these regulations. 5.7 Regulation 26 Disinfection and other treatment arrangements 5.7.1 Regulation 26 requires NI Water to ensure that any disinfection process carried out at any site is effective and that there is documented evidence to demonstrate verification of the performance of the disinfection process. The regulation also requires that all water supplied for Regulation 4(1) purposes (Wholesomeness) is disinfected. 5.7.2 No documentation was provided by NI Water to demonstrate verification of disinfection. NI Water is required to meet the requirements regarding verification of Page 7 of 9
the disinfection process as contained within DWI Information Letter 06/10. This should form part of NI Water’s disinfection policy. 5.7.3 The Inspectorate has concerns that, in replenishing service reservoirs and in recharging the distribution network during the incident, the chlorine demand may have been affected within reservoirs and onward distribution. The Inspectorate requires further information from NI Water into what controls were in place to ensure disinfection was not compromised during this process. 5.8 Regulation 30 Application and introduction of substances and products Regulation 30 specifies the circumstances in which NI Water may apply or introduce substances or products into water supplies for cooking, drinking, food preparation or washing. This includes water supplied in bottles or containers. The Inspectorate requires an assurance that this regulation was met regarding all substances and products utilised during the incident. 5.9 Regulation 33 Provision of information 5.9.1 Under regulation 33(6)(a) NI Water is required to notify the health authorities; every appropriate district council; and DWI of an event which gives rise, or is likely to give rise, to a significant risk to human health. 5.9.2 We have insufficient information to confirm when NI Water first contacted the Public Health Agency in relation to this incident. The Inspectorate requires NI Water to provide information to confirm that the PHA was contacted “as soon as possible” after the event was declared. 5.9.3 In NI Water’s incident investigation report it states that notifications were made to the 25 district council areas affected; however there were no records provided to document these notifications. The Inspectorate requires NI Water to maintain a comprehensive event log to demonstrate that the appropriate contacts were made. 5.9.4 The Inspectorate acknowledges the substantial information provided by NI Water from 27 December 2010 on a daily basis until the end of the incident including regular updates of the overall situation via the “Upward Reports”. 5.9.5 There are circumstances where NI Water takes advice from the PHA and restrictions or precautionary restrictions are put in place by the company to protect public health in matters relating to drinking water quality. Following communications between NI Water and the PHA, general ‘Boil Water Before Use’ advice was made available through the PHA’s website on 29 December 2010; however it was not made available on NI Water’s website until 31 December 2010. 5.9.6 It is the Inspectorate’s opinion that there was not sufficient information made available to the public in those areas where mains were being repaired. Consumers should have been made aware, for example, that temporary discolouration may be experienced as supplies are reconnected and restored to normal operations. They should also have been advised whether there was a need to take any precautionary measures such as boiling the water before use. It is recommended that NI Water Page 8 of 9
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Page 3 and 4: 2.4 To augment supplies at strategi
Page 5 and 6: 3.6.3 During any incident it is inc
Page 7 and 8: 4. General requirements 4.1 Further
Page 9 and 10: water being used to fill tankers mu
Page 11 and 12: operational monitoring plan put in
Page 13: supplied from one supplier over a f
Page 17 and 18: Annex 2 DWI FINAL ASSESSMENT SUMMAR
Page 27: ADVERSE WEATHER INCIDENT AFFECTING

Our Ref: DWI/2/10 Event 30/10 Date: 9 June ... - Derry City Council

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