The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017

Drinking water abstraction points: monitoring sites

20.—(1) A water undertaker must identify every point from which it abstracts water for supply for regulation 5(1) purposes.

(2) At every abstraction point, a water undertaker must take, or cause to be taken, such samples, and analyse, or cause to be analysed, those samples for such properties, organisms and substances as it considers necessary in order to satisfy the requirements of regulations 29 to 31.

(3) In relation to any abstraction point, the Department may, by notice served on a water undertaker, require it—

(a) to take, or cause to be taken, such numbers of samples of water per year as may be specified; and

(b) to analyse, or cause to be analysed, those samples for such concentrations or values of such properties, organisms and substances as may be specified and at such frequencies as may be specified; and

(c) to provide the information collected to the Department.

(4) The Department may, by notice served on a water undertaker, revoke or amend a notice served under paragraph (3).

(5) Paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be in accordance with such relevant standards as may be specified by the Department by notice served on a water undertaker.

(6) For the purposes of—

(a) paragraphs (2) and (3) “abstraction point” means an abstraction point identified under paragraph (1);

(b) paragraph (3), “specified” means specified in the notice served under that paragraph.

(7) Every analysis required under paragraph (2), in relation to every body of surface water which provides more than 100 cubic metres of water per day as an average, must be carried out at no less than the following frequencies—

(i) 4 per year, where the population so served by the body of surface water is less than 10,000 people;

(ii) 8 per year, where the population so served is from 10,000 to 30,000 people;

(iii) 12 per year, where the population so served is greater than 30,000 people;

(8) In paragraph (7), “body of surface water” means a discrete and significant element of surface water such as a lake, a reservoir, a stream, river or canal, part of a stream, river or canal, a transitional water or a stretch of coastal water.