1. Foreword
This report provides a record of drinking water quality in Scotland in 2008. The data shows that at 99.75%, overall compliance in 2008 was slightly lower than in 2007. It is disappointing that compliance did not improve in 2008 as I have been able to report continuous improvement by Scottish Water for the last 5 years. The absence of further improvement in 2008 can perhaps be explained when considered in conjunction with Scottish Water's current investment programme, which runs from 2006 to 2010. Very few of the water quality improvements planned for the current period were delivered in 2008 so consumers have yet to benefit. Scottish Water's investment programme is the largest of any water utility in the UK (on a per connected property basis) so I fully expect to see further improvement in the level of compliance in 2009.
The failures in drinking water quality that occurred are discussed in detail within the report but they generally relate to local issues. To help members of the public find out about any problems with their supply, I have upgraded the DWQR website to provide local, up to date drinking water quality information. By entering their postcode, or clicking on a map, consumers can now obtain information about the quality of their own water supply and details of how this compares with the rest of Scotland. I hope that members of the public will make use of this facility and contact me via the website ( www.dwqr.org.uk) to comment on their water quality or to ask any questions. Any concerns about water quality should of course continue to be directed to Scottish Water in the first instance.
In 2008, I continued to highlight the importance of consumers being able to trust the public water supply and the need for it to look and taste good, as well as meeting the strict regulatory standards. The number of consumers experiencing discoloured water is still too high, so during the year I have worked with Scottish Water to prioritise areas for improvement during the next investment period, commencing in 2010. Many people also experience problems with the taste and odour of their water supplies and in last year's report I highlighted the need for Scottish Water to carefully control its use of chlorine when disinfecting supplies. I am concerned therefore to note that the number of consumers contacting Scottish Water about taste and odour increased in 2008. This trend is supported by complaints from members of the public directly to DWQR reporting that the taste of chlorine in their supply has recently become unacceptable.
It is vital that public drinking water supplies are free from microbiological contamination and safe to drink. The use of chlorine is key in achieving this, but appropriate equipment and careful monitoring is needed to ensure that the amount of chlorine used is proportionate. I expect Scottish Water to continually review the amount of chlorine it is using and have received assurances regarding future use, however this will continue to be an area on which I will focus in 2009.
For the first time, the 2008 report includes comprehensive data on the quality of private water supplies in Scotland. This has only been possible thanks to the hard work undertaken by local authority environmental health staff, who are responsible for enforcing the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Approximately 3% of the Scottish population rely on private water supplies for their drinking water but many more people come into contact with them when they are on holiday or travelling. Responsibility for the quality of private supplies in Scotland lies with the owners and users of such supplies; unfortunately the data shows that the quality of these supplies is often poor.
More than one in five of the samples taken from private supplies in 2008 showed evidence of faecal contamination. Significantly, over a third of the samples containing faecal coliforms were taken from supplies that had some form of disinfection. The clear message is that disinfection systems must be maintained by owners and users if public health is to be protected.
The Scottish Government provides grants to assist owners and users with improvements to their private water supply systems and over £1.2 million was paid out in 2008-09. However, more improvements are required if all private water supplies are to be brought up to the necessary standard.
In spite of the problems highlighted with private water supplies, Scotland is leading the way in Europe, if not the world in understanding and getting to grips with the problem associated with such supplies. In 2008, DWQR gave presentations to the
European Union, World Health Organisation and the United Nations on the Scottish approach to the regulation of private water supplies. I have also had the risk assessment, which is central to the Scottish model, translated into Russian to assist Eastern European countries with improving their supplies. This wider work will continue in 2009 but ensuring that all drinking water supplies in Scotland, both public and private, are of the highest possible quality will remain the priority of the DWQR.
Colin McLaren
Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland
August 2009
