ST Classification: UNMARKED

Dear Clare,

Many thanks for your Environmental Information Request. For ease of
response, we have answered your questions in the order that they have been
asked. We also thought it would be helpful to provide some context.

In the UK our drinking water is of the highest standard amongst the best
in Europe.  The quality of drinking water is regulated by the Drinking
Water Inspectorate (DWI), whose objectives are to protect public health
and ensure water quality is acceptable to customers. They do this through
ensuring that drinking water is ‘wholesome’ which is defined in the law by
a very strict set of standards detailed in the Water Industry Act 1991. In
order for water companies to comply with these standards and provide
‘wholesome’ drinking water the raw water must go through a rigorous
treatment cycle before being distributed to our customers.

 1. What monitoring programme do you currently have in place for PFOS,
PFOA chemicals at drinking water abstraction points?

3.    Provide insight on the monitoring done, any constraints or
limitations, and any data of levels of PFOs and PFOAs held during
monitoring at those sites for PFOA, PFOS since commencement.

4.    Set out what ‘downstream’ monitoring is undertaken at consumer end
points / taps for these chemicals, and if not done, set out the rationale
and any risks the firm believes are associated with this position. 


There is no UK statutory limit for PFAS in drinking water, however the DWI
has published set limits and guidance for water companies, on monitoring
directions companies late last year. We follow the guidance  within our
routine sampling, and monitor levels of PFAS and PFOA at all sites across
our region.

The guidance outlines a risk based 3 tier structure for PFAS
concentrations in drinking water based on the 47 listed PFAS compounds in
information letter 03-2022
([1]https://dwi-content.s3.eu-west-2.amazona...
), wherein,

• Results below 0.01ug/l are in Tier 1 and require a standard risk
assessment and monitoring approach.
• Results above 0.01ug/l but below 0.1ug/l are in Tier 2 and require
additional sampling and discussion with DWI and UKHSA (UK Health
Security Agency).
• Results above 0.1ug/l are in Tier 3 and require notification to DWI
and UKHSA as an event and further short, medium and long-term measures
to reduce PFAS levels below 0.1ug/l

Our PFAS asset management strategy follows a risk-based approach and
builds on the learning from the work we do on catchment management working
with other stakeholders to prevent pollution at source.  Alongside this,
we undertake routine catchment investigations in conjunction with the
ongoing monitoring programme. 

 2. Can you give a document that sets out the locations of abstraction
points where levels of

PFOS and PFOAs are being monitored.

As detailed above we have a routine sampling plan that covers all sites
across our region.

5. Any discussions with your regulator on this topic in the past 3 years.

We continue to work collaboratively with our regulators across all aspects
of our activities. The DWI regularly publishes information on their
website regarding expectations across the sector. In line with our
statutory reporting requirements and regulatory expectations we provide
data to the regulator on an ongoing basis. With regards to Water
Companies’ performance The DWI published quarterly reports on company
performance.

The DWI have published data for 2022 regards companies reporting sites in
Tier 3, with PFAS greater than 0.1 µg/l in the untreated water
(https://dwi-content.s3.eu-west-2.amazona...).
Based on the results obtained from the 47 PFAS compounds sampling, all of
our sites sampled to date remain in the lowest risk category tier 1

6. What mitigations Severn Trent Water Plc has considered should any
chemicals be found, and, the estimated cost to implement.

As all sites are in Tier 1, in accordance with the DWI guidance we
continue to administer a standard risk assessment and monitoring approach.

Should we identify a risk is identified, we will act in accordance with
the DWI guidance to ensure robust mitigation. 

We hope the above is useful.

Best wishes,
Severn Trent EIR Team

Note: if this information is being used for a media article, please do
contact our press team for clarification and comment.

Severn Trent Plc (registered number 2366619) and Severn Trent Water
Limited (registered number 2366686) (together the "Companies") are both
limited companies registered in England & Wales with their registered
office at Severn Trent Centre, 2 St John's Street, Coventry, CV1 2LZ This
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References

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1. https://dwi-content.s3.eu-west-2.amazona...