Guernsey Water is exceeding national and international benchmarks for water quality and continues to provide safe, high quality, fresh drinking water for Islanders.
The figures, published in the company’s 2019 Water Quality Report, show that key performance indicators (compliance with maximum admissible concentrations at its three treatment works, three service reservoirs and customer taps in two water supply zones) have all been achieved, at a rate of 99% or above. Guernsey Water has also conducted 7,475 laboratory tests over the last calendar year, again meeting EU standards.
Margaret McGuinness, Water Quality Risk Manager for Guernsey Water, said: “Supplying water that is safe and good to drink is always our top priority. A water supply that is available to all is vital to the public health and wellbeing of our Island. This has become ever more important in the face of significant challenges to water supplies from climate change, and of course, the events of the past six months.
“It is important to us that customers trust that our drinking water meets the highest standard. To achieve this, we invest in efficient, sustainable water treatment to improve the quality of our water.”
During 2019, the company regularly tested for a wide range of pesticides and of these, 32 were detected and one breach of the 0.1ug/I limit observed, which was due to a pollution incident. Streams across the Island are regularly monitored for the presence of glyphosate, which is one of the most widely used pesticides and remains a concern, so checks ensure that the levels found are of no challenge to the water treatment processes.
Mrs McGuinness added, “I am proud of the technical expertise of the Guernsey Water team, we are focussed on the provision of not only safe drinking water but also the safe return of our wastewater to the environment.”
