The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

Monitoring: general provisions

6.—(1) For the purpose of determining whether water to which this Part applies satisfies the provisions of Part III or, if a departure has been authorised under Part VI in relation to that supply, those provisions as read with the terms of that authorisation, a water undertaker shall take, or cause to be taken, and analyse, or cause to be analysed, not less than the number of samples of the water within each of its water supply zones specified in, or in accordance with provisions of, this Part.

(2) Except in a case to which paragraph (3) applies, the parameters listed in Tables A and B in Schedule 1 and the indicator parameters shall be subject—

(a) as regards a parameter listed in column (2) of Table 1 in Schedule 3, in relation to which there is no entry in column (3) of that Table, to check monitoring;

(b) as regards a parameter so listed in relation to which there is an entry in column (3), check monitoring in the circumstances specified in that column;

(c) in any other case, audit monitoring.

(3) Where—

(a) the distribution of water in any part of a water supply zone is by tanker; and

(b) is or is likely to be an intermittent short-term supply,

samples of water from each tanker from which water is distributed shall be taken 48 hours after the commencement of the distribution from that tanker and every 48 hours thereafter until the distribution is discontinued.

(4) Of the samples taken in accordance with paragraph (3) in relation to each distribution, the first shall be analysed for compliance with the parameters E. coli, hydrogen ion and conductivity (item 2 in Table A in Schedule 1, item 3 in Part II of Table B in that Schedule and item 6 in Schedule 2, respectively), and the second and any subsequent samples shall be analysed for compliance with those and every other parameter.

(5) For the purposes of the application of paragraph (2)(b) to the aluminium, Clostridium perfringens, iron and manganese parameters (items 1, 3, 10 and 11 in Table 1 in Schedule 3), a supply which consists of both groundwater and surface water shall be deemed to be a supply which consists only of surface water.

(6) The copper, lead and nickel parameters and, subject to paragraph (7), the parameters relevant to radioactivity (total indicative dose and tritium), shall be monitored in such manner as the Department shall determine and shall specify by notice in writing given to a water undertaker.

(7) If, in relation to any water supply zone, the Department is satisfied that water supplied to that zone for regulation 4(1) purposes—

(a) gives rise to a calculated total indicative dose in respect of radioactivity that is well below the specification; or

(b) contains levels of tritium that are well below the specification,

the Department shall notify the water undertaker that the total indicative dose parameter (item 9 in Schedule 2) or, as the case may be, the tritium parameter (item 11 in that Schedule), need not be monitored.

(8) The Department shall, by notice in writing—

(a) withdraw a notice under paragraph (7) given in relation to the total indicative dose parameter if it believes that water supplied to the zone in question for regulation 4(1) purposes gives rise to a calculated total indicative dose in respect of radioactivity that is not well below the specification;

(b) withdraw a notice under paragraph (7) given in relation to the tritium parameter if it believes that water supplied to the zone in question for regulation 4(1) purposes contains levels of tritium that are not well below the specification.

(9) Should a water undertaker receive a notice under paragraph (8) it shall monitor the total indicative dose parameter or, as the case may be, the tritium parameter in accordance with the notice having effect for the time being under paragraph (6).