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Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 2002
Foreword
This is the first Annual Report on Drinking Water Quality in Scotland, prepared by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland, and it provides details of the level of compliance in 2002 with The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990. Overall, the report shows that in 2002 the level of compliance at customers' taps continued to improve compared with 2001. The numbers of fails is, however, still significant indicating a need for improvements. Scottish Water is committed to delivering these improvements and during 2001-02 it spent around 462 million on water treatment works and water distribution systems.
Although the overall number of samples taken from customers' taps that failed to meet the quality standards dropped in 2002, it is perhaps more significant that the number of microbiological failures increased over the same period. The principal reason for the increase in microbiological failures in 2002 was the poor weather. The results demonstrate the continuing vulnerability of many Scottish water treatment works to extreme weather conditions. Scottish Water must invest in robust equipment and processes that can cope with the vagaries of the Scottish weather.
Two thousand and two was a difficult year for Scottish Water. Just 16 days after it was created by the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002, Scottish Water was faced with a major dirty water incident in North Ayrshire. Approximately 37,000 customers in the West Kilbride, Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Dalry area were affected. In August 2002, extreme rainfall was responsible for contamination of the Glasgow water supply with Cryptosporidium. In this case, around 160,000 people had to boil their drinking water as a precaution against cryptosporidiosis. There were no reported cases of illness in the community.
There is increasing pressure on Scottish Water to invest more in its infrastructure, while at the same time keeping charges at affordable levels. The authority also needs to respond to increasing competition for water and wastewater services. In order to meet these challenges, Scottish Water must improve its efficiency across a whole range of activities. Improvements in efficiency however, must not compromise drinking water quality and public health.
The 2002 Act that created Scottish Water also established the post of Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland. Considerable powers are provided to the Regulator to allow me to carry out my functions. Protection of public health through enforcement of the drinking water quality regulations is the primary function of the Regulator.
The water industry in Scotland is going through a period of change and an opportunity exists to build on the work of the three previous water authorities. As Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland, I will ensure that Scottish Water makes the most of this opportunity and that the authority is committed to delivering the highest possible drinking water quality to the people of Scotland.
Tim Hooton
Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland
October 2003
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