This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Drinking Water Quality annual report
11/10/2004
The annual report of the Drinking Water Quality
Regulator, published today, highlights improvement in
microbiological standards but also shows a slight increase
in the number of failures for non-health related factors
such as mild discolouration.
It raises concerns over a shortfall in the number of
tests that Scottish Water is obliged to carry out. This
shortfall does not undermine the findings of the report or
impact on human health.
Environment Minister Ross Finnie said:
"The Executive wants to see an efficient and effective
publicly owned water industry that delivers high quality
drinking water and protects the environment.
"This report shows that Scotland's water industry is
making progress in raising standards and the water in our
taps is clean and healthy.
"We are concerned about the criticism that the regulator
makes over Scottish Water's failure to carry out the
statutory sampling regime. This is unacceptable.
"We look to the company to take action to address this
and ensure that the regulatory requirements are met in
future. We look to the regulator to ensure Scottish Water
meets its obligations."
The 2003 report shows:
- An improvement in microbiological standards. Down
from 204 failures in levels of coliforms to 135 in the
same period
- An increase in the number of failures from 0.76 to
0.83 due to colour and iron and had no significance for
public health
- Failures due to trace amounts of faecal coliform
also decreased from 30 in 2002 to 24 in 2003
- The number of failures due to trihalomethane (THM)
also decreased
The annual report is the 14th in a series since 1990 and
is the second to be published by the Drinking Water Quality
Regulator since his appointment in April 2002 under the
Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002.
It provides a national overview of drinking water
quality in Scotland together with a record of the quality
of drinking water supplied within each local authority
area.
An assessment of the level of compliance during 2003
with the water quality regulations is made and, where
appropriate, this is compared with the performance in
previous years.
Discoloured tap water experienced in many parts of
Scotland was due to exceptionally high rainfall causing
landslides or washing materials into the lochs and
reservoirs from which drinking water is obtained.
In all cases Scottish Water went to great lengths to
ensure that proper disinfection was maintained and that
there was no danger to public health.