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

takes into consideration a review of this aspect of consumer communications within
the work currently being undertaken by a sub group of the Drinking Water Liaison
Group that is providing guidance to health professionals and those in the water
industry in Northern Ireland.
5.9.7 NI Water advised the Inspectorate that the Drinking Water and Health Guidance
Document should be reviewed to include lessons learnt dealing with this incident and
the provision of health advice to customers. It is recommended that operational
procedures should be reviewed and taken into consideration in the work currently
being undertaken by the DWLG sub group. This review should reflect best water
industry practice.
6. Water unfit for human consumption
6.1 NI Water is required to provide the Inspectorate with data relating to the complaints
and concerns of its consumers. During the period of this incident the company has
reported that there were 47 contacts made relating to the appearance of ‘black/brown/
orange’ coloured water. Due to the unprecedented number of contacts being made to
the company’s call handling centre, the Inspectorate is aware that only a percentage
of incoming calls were answered. It is therefore impossible to know what percentage
of calls, not getting through, were to make complaints or express water quality
concerns. As the company has not provided sufficient information to demonstrate that
all calls were correctly categorized, the Inspectorate cannot establish an accurate
picture of what customers were experiencing.
6.2 It is possible that some consumers may have rejected their water supply for drinking,
cooking and other domestic purposes when supplies were restored. In considering the
information provided by NI Water, there is a lack of sufficient reliable evidence that the
company supplied water that was unfit for human consumption.
6.3 It is recommended that the information recording procedures are reviewed to enable
NI Water to ensure that all contacts, whether complaints or concerns, are categorized
and recorded robustly particularly during incident situations.
7. Other matters
The Inspectorate, during the period of this investigation, notes that a ‘level 3’ incident
was declared on 17 December 2010 and that tankering to service reservoirs from 12
December 2010 to 13 January 2011 was ongoing. The Inspectorate was not notified
when this initial tankering operation commenced on 12 December 2010. It is the
Inspectorate’s opinion that NI Water should contact DWI as soon as it is aware of a
notifiable problem, or a developing situation, which might become notifiable. In
circumstances where tankering is commenced to service reservoirs, this would be
notifiable.
COLIN CLEMENTS
Operations Inspector
17 May 2011
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