The Private Water Supply (Scotland) Regulations 2006

1. The Private Water Supply (Scotland) Regulations 2006 Perth and Kinross Council Environment Service Mary Anderson

3. Overview • Background to the new legislation • Risk Assessment based approach • Type A supplies • Grants • Food Businesses • Questions welcome throughout

4. Background to the new legislation • Real risks of ACUTE waterborne illness • Bacterial - Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E.coli O157 • Viral – Hepatitis A and E, small round structured (Norovirus etc) • Protozoan – Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Entamoeba • Others – Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae) pseudomonas, areomonas

5. ACUTE effects can include diarrhoea, sickness, kidney failure Unquantifiable risk of CHRONIC conditions from metals, minerals, pesticides etc. Research shows severe under reporting of illness in rural areas due to stoicism, busy farmers, problems of access etc.

6. Faecal coliforms (E.coli) - the main contamination threat Human produces 2 billion E.coli per day Seagull - 2 billion Pig - 8.9 billion Cattle - 9 billion Sheep - 18 billion

8. E.coli O157 carried by humans, cattle, sheep, deer, rabbits Research by MLURI in Aberdeenshire on a large number of supplies showed that ALL failed at some point throughout the year Average failure rate for bacterial samples throughout Perth and Kinross in 2005 was 35% - the majority of the supplies tested had treatment on them Failure rate can be 100% with adverse weather conditions

10. Risk Assessment • Designed to include all types and sizes of supply • Highlight possible contamination routes • Increase awareness of the potential risks amongst users • Increase awareness of the importance of ongoing maintenance of sources and treatment plant • Supplies are individual

22. Risk Assessment – a new approach • Previous legislation relied on infrequent sampling to show problems • Risk Assessment based approach aims to reduce overall potential for harm for the whole supply, all year round • Aim is to educate users that they need to consider and improve the complete supply, reducing sources of contamination throughout and considering treatment as the final step • Result should be health benefits for all of those that consume water from private supplies

24. Type A supplies • Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes • Campsites and Caravan sites • Self Catering • Public Access such as village and church Halls, Public Toilets, Visitor Centres • Dairy Farms, Deer Larders (?), Butcheries, Smokeries, Home caterers and other food businesses • Schools and residential facilities • Nurseries and home childminders • Domestic serving 50 or more persons (20 properties)

25. Type A supplies • Must conform to EC standards • Within Type A there are three useage levels: • 1 – <100m3/day • 2 – 100 – 1000 m3/day • 3 - >1000m3/day • The majority of Type A supplies are Level 1, this can serve up to 500 users • Over 200 Type A supplies in Perth and Kinross

26. Type A supplies – risk assessment and sampling • Statutory duty for Local Authority to risk assess all Type A supplies • Ongoing statutory sampling requirements, frequency dependant on volume used. Majority of Type A supplies will be once per year • Costs – Risk Assessment £120, Check and Audit monitoring Max £580 per year for Type A 1

27. Check Monitoring • Basic bacteriological and chemical parameters • Once per year for Type A 1 supplies • More frequently for Type A 2,3 • Very few exemptions allowed

28. Check Monitoring Parameters

29. Audit Monitoring Parameters • Wide range of organic and inorganic parameters • Once per year for Type A 1 supplies More frequently for Type A 2,3 • Agreement required from Consultant in Public Health Medicine with regard to Pesticides etc. • In the main, exemptions are only allowed if it can be shown that the parameter is <75% of the prescribed concentration • So - we have to sample to prove low level • Agreement required from the Consultant in Public Health Medicine before omitting a parameter from future testing

30. Audit Monitoring Parameters

31. Audit Monitoring Parameters cont.

32. Audit Monitoring Parameters cont.

34. The Grants Scheme • The Private Water Supplies (Grants) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 • Available to nearly all properties served by a private water supply • Open to owner occupiers, landlords, tenants • Up to £800 per property

35. Grants Scheme - exemptions • We cannot issue grants - • retrospectively for works which are already started or completed • to allow users to connect to the public mains water supply • to certain people/properties

36. Food Businesses on PWS • Food business = Commercial activity, therefore Type A supply under PWS Regs • Exemptions – no affect on final product, dairy farms?, coffee grinders?, deer larders? – FSA ‘guidance’ ? • Currently over 90 in Perth and Kinross

37. Inspections – Info to gather/assess? • Consider use of water? Clients/staff/family/activities/food operations • Query source of water e.g. burn versus borehole? • Treatment available? Point of use > point of entry=grant available, advise water team. • Sample results retained/reviewed • Maintenance records (FSMS, example form) • Contingency plan re failures, temporary only (FSMS record) • Poster displayed?

38. Informal/Formal Action? • Educate/advise • Liaison with Water Team/Food Teams • Enforcement- better mechanisms under pws regs, but food legislation may be easier re improvements notices? • Questions?

40. In Conclusion • The main aim is to safeguard the health of private water supply users whether they inhabit or visit Perth and Kinross • More information available from the Environment Service 01738 476476 • www.privatewatersupplies.gov.uk • The full Regulations can be viewed online at: • http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/ssi2006/20060209.htm • Questions Welcome