The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Provision of information

33.—(1) The water undertaker shall make available for inspection by the public at all reasonable hours and free of charge at least one of its offices any record maintained by it in accordance with regulation 32.

(2) The water undertaker shall afford to any person facilities to take or obtain a copy of any part of a record maintained in accordance with regulation 32—

(a) in the case of information relating to that zone, free of charge if the person receives a supply of water in the zone;

(b) in any other case, on payment of such reasonable charge as the water undertaker may determine.

(3) The water undertaker shall not later than the 31st March in each year supply such information requested by the Department, in relation to the general quality of water supplied in each water treatment works, service reservoir and water supply zone in the preceding year.

(4) The water undertaker shall, not later than the 30th June in each year, supply to each district council to any part of whose area that the undertaker supplied water in the preceding year, information concerning the general quality of water supplied during that year to premises in the council’s area, and—

(a) in respect of each treatment works from which water was so supplied, the particulars referred to in paragraph (5);

(b) in respect of each service reservoir, and every other supply point (other than a treatment works), from which water was so supplied, the particulars referred to in paragraph (6);

(c) in respect of—

(i) each water supply zone of which any part is within the council’s area, and

(ii) each parameter and residual disinfectant,

the particulars referred to in paragraph (7); and

(d) information as to the action taken by the water undertaker in that year to comply with —

(i) any departure authorised under Part VI; and

(ii) any notice under regulation 19(3).

(5) The particulars referred to in this paragraph are—

(a) the names of the water supply zones supplied from the works during the preceding year;

(b) the result of any analysis of samples taken in the preceding year in accordance with Part IV or regulations 12, 13 and 27(3)(a);

(c) in relation to those samples and each parameter other than an indicator parameter—

(i) the number and percentage of samples which contravened the prescribed concentration or value; and

(ii) if at the time that samples were taken a departure had been authorised in respect of that parameter, the number and percentage of samples which exceeded the concentration or value specified in the authorisation;

(d) in respect of each indicator parameter, the number and percentage of the samples taken in the preceding year which did not meet the specification for that parameter;

(e) in respect of Cryptosporidium and, with the exception of E. coli, coliform bacteria and every indicator parameter, each parameter, the minimum, mean and maximum concentrations; and

(f) in respect of residual disinfectant and, with the exception of Clostridium perfringens (including spores), each indicator parameter, the minimum, mean and maximum concentrations or values or, where a state is specified in relation to any such parameter, a commentary on its state.

(6) The particulars referred to in this paragraph are—

(a) the names of the water supply zones supplied from the service reservoir or, as the case may be, the supply point, during the preceding year;

(b) the result of any analysis of samples taken in the preceding year in accordance with Part IV, regulation 12 or regulation 14;

(c) in relation to those samples and each parameter other than an indicator parameter—

(i) the number and percentage of samples which contravened the prescribed concentration or value; and

(ii) if at the time that samples were taken a departure had been authorised in respect of that parameter, the number and percentage of samples which exceeded the concentration or value specified in the authorisation;

(d) in respect of each indicator parameter, the number and percentage of the samples taken in the preceding year which did not meet the specification for that parameter;

(e) in respect of each parameter, with the exception of E. coli, coliform bacteria and every indicator parameter, the minimum, mean and maximum concentrations; and

(f) in respect of residual disinfectant and, with the exception of Clostridium perfringens (including spores), each indicator parameter, the minimum, mean and maximum concentrations or values or, where a state is specified in relation to any such parameter, a commentary on its state.

(7) The particulars referred to in this paragraph are—

(a) the number of samples taken in the preceding year;

(b) the result of any analysis of samples taken in the preceding year in accordance with Part IV;

(c) in relation to those samples and each parameter other than an indicator parameter—

(i) the number and percentage of samples which contravened the prescribed concentration or value; and

(ii) if at the time that samples were taken a departure had been authorised in respect of that parameter, the number and percentage of samples which exceeded the concentration or value specified in the authorisation;

(d) in respect of each indicator parameter, the number and percentage of the samples taken in the preceding year which did not meet the specification for that parameter;

(e) in respect of each parameter, with the exception of E. coli, enterococci and every indicator parameter, the minimum, mean and maximum concentrations; and

(f) in respect of residual disinfectant and, with the exception of coliform bacteria and Clostridium perfringens (including spores), each indicator parameter, the minimum, mean and maximum concentrations or values or, where a state is specified in relation to any such parameter, a commentary on its state.

(8) As soon as may be after the occurrence of any event which, by reason of its effect or likely effect on the water supplied by the water undertaker, gives rise or is likely to give rise to a significant risk to the health of persons residing in the area of a district council or a health and social services board, the water undertaker shall notify each such authority of the occurrence.

(9) The water undertaker shall send to the Department a copy of every notification given under paragraph (8).

(10) Where a council or a health and social services board have received a notification under paragraph (8), they may require the water undertaker to provide them with such information relating to the event and its consequences as they may reasonably require.