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.