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D. Audits of Scottish Water in 2007
Operational Audits
During 2007 DWQR carried out detailed technical audits at three water treatment works, four service reservoirs and at 11 distribution system locations. In line with the recommendations of the Better Regulation Task Force, a risk-based approach is taken in the identification of the audit locations. This focuses the audits on those areas which are shown to have a higher than normal number of failures with the regulatory standards, or other factors of concern in the previous year.
Two treatment works were also audited as part of DWQR investigations in response to incidents at those sites.
As in 2006, the water treatment works audits incorporated compliance with the Cryptosporidium Directions into the standard works audit, resulting in efficiency savings for both Scottish Water and DWQR.
Technical Audits Undertaken by DWQR in 2007
Region | Water Treatment Works | Service Reservoirs | Distribution Systems |
|---|
North East | | | Cowdenbeath
Bankfoot
Aberdeen |
|---|
South East | Marchbank
Daer
Glassford | Colmsliehill | Bonnybridge |
|---|
South West | Bradan (Incident)
Corsehouse (Incident) | Kerse | Coatbridge
Coatbridge (Dalmacoulter)
Airdrie (Dalmacoulter)
Guiltreehill (Ayr)
Knockjarder (Ayr)
Inverkip |
|---|
North West | | Achnandaroch
Letters
Mid Clyth | |
|---|
Islands | | | Lerwick |
|---|
Eleven audits were undertaken on distribution systems, recognising that all work on a distribution system carries an inherent risk of contamination unless appropriate protective measures are followed by Scottish Water and contractors. A number of issues were highlighted, many of which were common to several audits. The most serious deficiencies concerned dewatering of excavations and sampling.
Key findings from treatment works and service reservoir audits are summarised by region. DWQR re-visits all sites within a year of the initial audit to ensure that work has been carried out to address any issues found:
South East
DWQR noted that there was now better control of the chloramination process at Marchbank which should help to prevent the nitrite fails in distribution and that there are also plans to change the process so that chorine is added first followed by ammonia which is the more conventional approach for chloramination.
At Daer WTWDWQR found issues with the monitoring of turbidity. At present there is only one monitor on each of the two banks of 5 filters whereas each filter should have its own dedicated meter. DWQR note that Scottish Water will resolve this issue as part of the current work being carried out at Daer which is due for completion in March 2009.
At Glassford DWQR also found issues with turbidity meters, where the readings on some of them did not match the manual tests being carried out by the operator. Also the turbidity meter on the outlet of the first filter was reading higher than its counterparts on the outlets of the other filters. DWQR found that these were still an issue on the re-visit so had to remind Scottish Water to look into the issues again and resolve them. This was subsequently done.
South West
At Bradan, recommendations were made concerning the urgent need for capital maintenance of the filters as well as certain aspects of operational monitoring.
At Corsehouse, recommendations included the implementation of measures to reduce the impact of filter washes on water quality, improving the integrity of the contact tank and ensuring that operational water quality monitoring is undertaken at the correct frequency.
North West
All three service reservoirs were picked for audit due to the numbers of regulatory fails in the year leading up to the time of the audit. DWQR was pleased to note that Scottish Water had undertaken cleaning work at both Achnandaroch and Letters service reservoirs. Furthermore, at Achnandaroch Scottish Water had changed the operation such that greater turnover of the water was now possible to keep the water fresher and reduce the possibility of failures. DWQR understands that the fails at Mid Clyth service reservoir were due to bursts in the distribution system upstream. The reservoir was boosted with chlorine at the time and there have been no fails since.
Customer Contact Centre Audits
DWQR audited the information provided to consumers who contacted Scottish Water about water quality matters, and the resulting operational response from Scottish Water. The audits took place in early 2008. Fifteen telephone and five written contacts were audited and a number of recommendations were made. The most significant of these concerned the way in which concerns about potential waterborne illness were dealt with, the extent to which Scottish Water offered information about water quality problems to consumers, and the way in which information concerning water quality contacts was recorded. It is anticipated that a further audit will take place in one year's time in order to monitor the way in which these issues have been addressed.
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