DWQR

DWQR visits Glencorse Water Treatment Works

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

DWQR Visits Glencorse Water Treatment Works (WTW)

Staff from the DWQR recently visited the construction site for Edinburgh's new water treatment works (WTW). Scottish Water is building a new WTW at Glencorse in Midlothian, as part of the Edinburgh Drinking Water Project; a strategic programme of capital investment to build a new WTW and replace ageing mains and storage tanks providing water to Edinburgh and surrounding areas. The new WTW will replace the existing works at Fairmilehead and Alnwickhill. Scottish Water's (SW) aim is to facilitate the city’s continued expansion and improve the quality of drinking water in Edinburgh. It will also allow SW to provide 21st century water treatment facilities, to meet strict European guidelines on drinking water quality. The project is now more than half way through with a forecast completion date of September 2011.

Metaldehyde In Peterhead Water Supply

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Metaldehyde in Peterhead Water Supply

Members of the public may have read the article in the Sunday Herald on 23 May 2010 about slug killing pellets being found in the water supply for Peterhead and the surrounding area. All sites tested in Scotland met the strict standard for Metaldehyde with the exception of Forehill where, although some of the samples exceeded the standard, DWQR can confirm that there was no risk to public health.

When it became apparent that traces of metaldehyde were being found in English supplies, in 2008 Scottish Water tested a selection of water treatment works across Scotland. Eight sites considered more likely to be at risk from the substance were identified following a pesticide risk assessment and advice from leading agronomists. Levels above the maximum allowed were found at Forehill Water Treatment Works (WTW) which supplies Peterhead and the surrounding area. 16 out of 22 samples failed the allowable limit in 2008 and 26 out of 70 samples failed the limit in 2009.

Due to the known use of pesticides around the area, Forehill is one of six water catchments in the UK and the only one in Scotland taking part in a Voluntary Initiative (VI) to improve the management of pesticide. Achieved through improved sprayer operation, training, equipment condition and awareness of routes of water pollution. Local farmers, Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are all part of the VI. Scottish Water also promoted its needs to the farming community at the annual general meeting of the National Union of Farmers (Scotland) in February 2009.

Scottish Water is represented on an United Kingdom Water Industry Research group which is looking into this issue.
Existing products which contain metaldehyde currently remain authorised for sale and supply until 31 December 2010, and for storage and use up to 31 December 2011. However, we understand that the European Commission has very recently notified its intention to extend this deadline by one year.

The DWQR will continue to work very closely with Scottish Water to resolve this issue

DWQR Helps Romania to Implement the Drinking Water Directive

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

DWQR Helps Romania to Implement the Drinking Water Directive

A representative of DWQR recently took part in a workshop in Bucharest, arranged by the European Commission, to help the Romanians with their implementation of the Drinking Water Directive. Romania only joined the EU in 2007, so the Directive is still relatively new for them and the Commission was keen that they should learn from the experiences of other Member States that have been working successfully with the Directive for some time. DWQR was happy to share our experiences in areas such as monitoring, reporting and communicating with the public. The Romanians were clearly pleased that we had made the effort to talk to them and were very interested to hear what we had to say.