Each year water companies are inspected. The 1995 inspection found that the Company's arrangements for sampling, analysis and reporting were generally very good and that treatment processes were satisfactory. Two improvement programmes were due for completion during 1995 and both were completed on schedule. Seven recommendations for improvements in practices were made.

The quality of the water supplied by the Company in 1995 has generally been very good. 99.8% of the 14,403 tests performed by the Company met the standards - the tests were largely made on samples taken from consumers' taps. Of the 0.2% of tests that did not meet the standards some were for coliform bacteria. Each time these bacteria were detected the cause was investigated and the Company is taking or has taken corrective action on the problems identified. The only other significant failures to meet the standards were for nitrite, PAH and TCA. The Inspectorate has obtained a commitment from the Company to carry out remedial work for nitrite and PAH and it is investigating the TCA failures.

The graph above shows consistently good quality water being supplied over the last five years. The Company, as it must, plans to improve the quality even further. It has given legally binding commitment to improve its water mains in one area. Iron and PAH arise from old water mains and the Company is committed to replacing or repairing these. The Company completed its improvement programme to reduce the tendency of water picking up lead from consumers lead pipes at the end of 1995. Additional treatment was installed at a number of sites and benefits will be seen in 1996. Most of these improvements were completed by December 1995, but work on the water mains is continuing.

If you want more detailed information about the quality of the drinking water in your local area please contact the Company. Their telephone number is 01223 403000.

Drinking water standards in England and Wales include all those in the European Community Directive on drinking water and are mainly based on levels recommended by the World Health Organisation. Those of significance to health have generally been set with a wide safety margin. The occasional breaches of the standards which have happened do not mean the water was not suitable for drinking.

The Inspectorate assesses each breach of the standards and if necessary requires water companies to give legally binding undertakings to carry out improvements.

The summary of the 1995 Report gives the results of tests for England and Wales as a whole and sets out in more detail how the quality of your drinking water is checked and the significance of each of the listed substances. Printed copies of each Water Company Summary, and the Summary of the 1995 Report are available from :