Water Services National Training Group

Best Practice in the Management of Drinking

WaterCait Gleeson

Senior Executive Scientist

Limerick County Council

Drinking Water Quality

Old System New System

Moving from a system that worked to one that is a high-tech fully controlled system delivering a high quality product.

Drinking Water Quality

We are developing control so that when a ‘orange light goes off’ we can respond before the problem manifests itself in the final product.

Our New World

European Communities (Drinking Water )

(No 2) Regulations 2007 Water Quality Standards and new quality limits

with staggered deadlines EPA enforcement role over Local Authorities Indictable offences Local Authority enforcement role over Group

Water Schemes Monitoring Programmes

Regulations & Guidance Available European Communities (Quality of Surface Water

Intended for the Abstraction of Drinking Waters) Regulations 1989

European Communities (Drinking Water) (No 2) Regulations 2007

Fluoridation of Water supplies Regulations 2007

Water Services Act 2007

Regulations & Guidance Available

Health & Safety Regulations

Nitrates Regulations 2005

Water Pollution Acts 1977 & 1990

Regulations & Guidance Available

EC Drinking Water Regulations 2000, A Handbook on implementation for Local Authorities

Guidance on Regulations 9 & 10 of the EC (DW) (No2) Regulations 2007

Annual Reporting of Monitoring Results to the EPA

Regulations & Guidance Available Guidance for Local Authorities on the

Development of a Remedial Action List for public water supplies

Guidance on risk screening for Local Authorities

Code of Practice on Fluoridation of Drinking Water 2007

Regulations & Guidance Available

EPA Drinking Water Guidance Circular: Disinfection of Water Supplies

EPA Advice on Lead Connections

Regulations & Guidance Available EPA Water Treatment Suite of Manuals

WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality

Drinking Water Inspectorate - UK

Routine Implementation

Sampling programmes Check Monitoring Audit Monitoring

Laboratories Local Authorities EPA Public Analyst Private

Mechanics of Implementing the Regulation in the event of a quality failure Failure of a chemical or microbiological

parameter Detect the quality failure Response

Consultation with the HSE Notification of the public

Site specific issues Wider customer groups

Notification of the EPA Return water to acceptable quality

Incident Close Out and Review

Typical Response – quality failure First 30 minutes

Verify result and sampling location Notify Area Manager to immediately start an

investigation of the treatment plant and distribution system

Contact the HSE and discuss the issue – written request for advice issued.

Decide if the seriousness of the issue merits a meeting with HSE

Typical Response – quality failure.

Issue detected

HSE Health Determination

Action Plan

Notify EPA

Notification of public if necessary with advice

Ongoing consultation and information sharing with HSE & EPA

Close out and review

Typical Response – quality failure

Action Plan

Sampling Programme

Pollution Investigation

System checks

Customer contact - phones , web, etc

Significant/Sensitive users

Alternative supplies

Staff

What Type of failures need to be notified to the EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

Table AMicrobiological Parameters

Table B Chemical Parameters

If HSE determines the issue is NON TRIVIAL

Table CIndicator Parameters

Sanitary Authority

Water Supply Zone

Water Supply Zone Code

Estimated Population Affected

Parameter

Result[1]

Date and Location of Failure

Notification under Regulation (please tick) 9(1)

10(2)XX

Have the HSE been consulted?

What advice has been provided by the HSE

Likely Cause and Duration of Failure

Has this parameter exceeded the Parametric Value in this Supply in the past 12 months (if so give details)?

Immediate Action Taken to Inform/Protect Consumers

Immediate Corrective Action Taken

Limerick County CouncilDrinking Water Incident Log SheetName of Supply Xxx Public Water Supply

Supply Code 1900PUBxxxx

Population Served XX People

Geographical Area covered by the Supply

Group Water Schemes Served

List of public GWS/ estates not taken in charge

Limerick County CouncilDrinking Water Incident Log SheetSensitive Users Refer to HSE for advice

Significant Users Hospitals, nursing homes, schools, industries, food processing businesses,

Outline of Treatment Description of treatment process

Monitors Chlorine, turbidity, nitrate, ammonia. on- line/off- line, alarmed?

Limerick County CouncilDrinking Water Incident Log SheetFeatures in the Distribution

SystemReservoirs ,booster chlorination, contribution from other PWS

Date of Initial Incident

Response Plan

Action Log

Actions agreed with HSE

Typical Response – quality failure Return water to acceptable quality Prove that this is the case Agree that any health concern is over with

HSE Review the incident and close out Follow up legal action against polluters if

appropriate

L.A. relationship with Group Water Schemes Monitor quality and compliance

Ability to serve notices requiring the production of an Action Plan.

Licensing – not yet in force

We currently have blunt control without a tool for fine control

Changes in 2007/8 in how Local Authorities work Faster Response time to all parametric failures

Initial response time in the event of a Q.F. now aiming for 30 minutes

More rigorous response to quality failures Now investigate EVERY failure Example a taste incident resulted in 396 tests being carried

out on a water supply Response has lead to a doubling of the throughput in the

laboratory alone to date in 2008

Changes in 2007/8 in how Local Authorities work

Much more frequent communication with the HSE

Consultation within HSE between PEHO & Director of Public Health or their agents to arrive agree the health advice.

Changes in 2007/8 in how Local Authorities work Upgraded treatment by installation of

SCADA Alarmed Chlorine Monitors Alarmed Turbidity Monitors Improved Telemetry Upgrade of treatment plants WRT Safety Issues e.g.

Site Security

Changes in 2007/8 in how Local Authorities work More focused management

Water Safety Plans Drinking Water Incident Response Plans

Change of attitude – second best is worse than nothing at all sometimes

Changes in 2007/8 in how Local Authorities work More frequent communication with our

customers How we notify customers in the event of a quality

or supply failure How we provide information to customers on their

water supply How customers can communicate with us

Tracking Responding

Changes in 2007/8 in how Local Authorities work Source Protection

Full source protection at both ground water and surface water sources

Rigorous planning controls and pollution controls within the zones

Changes in 2007/8 in how Local Authorities work Use of non traditional staff in source

protection

Added layer of protection for sources and water supplies

New layer of protection is cost neutral Reduces Cryptosporidium monitoring costs Helps focus resources

Change of attitude

We are moving from an attitude that ‘there is nothing wrong with the water’ to a commitment to proving that there is nothing wrong with the water and to closing out any non conformances rapidly

The professionally delivered service We are in the business of food production

Issues of safety, cleanliness, raw material protection, product standard, customer protection, HACCP and overall quality control must meet a food production standard

The professionally delivered service Customers receive our product 24 hours a

day 7 days a week.

We work 9:30 to 5 Monday to Friday

This is no longer acceptable

The professionally delivered service Introducing On-call for laboratory staff and process

technicians - initially Cover after hours and weekend emergencies

Changed working hours to allow the laboratory achieve the work rate we need and to be able to respond to incidents promptly (cost neutral)

Making better use of the resources we have Caretaker sampling Volunteer sampler groups ( Co Co staff all grades) ‘Taxi’ lines

The professionally delivered service Being proactive on quality

Intensive Nitrate Surveys

County wide Lead monitoring

County wide THM monitoring

The professionally delivered service How compliant are we – 90’s% How compliant do we need to be? 99.999%? EPA guidance!!

6 Sigma type approach to drinking water production reduce process variability

The Way We Were

The Way We Are

Acknowledgements

Management Team Operational & Maintenance Team Audit Team/Quality Control HSE EPA Customers

Thank you