29/04/10
Water companies have not to date reported any problems relating to volcanic ash fall-out affecting water supplies.
Risk assessments using available information indicate that there was little risk of ash contamination of water supplies, with ground water supplies being at no risk and surface water supplies at minor risk.
Any change - in terms of the volumes of ash or the risk of deposition of ash due to climate conditions (e.g. rain) - would mean that risk assessments should be revised.
Until the exact composition of the ash is known, it is not possible to comment on the impact that the ash might have in the unlikely event that it did contaminate a supply or a treatment process. If this information can be made available, a more quantifiable risk assessment can be carried out.
No specific analysis has as yet been carried out by water companies.
Contact: Jim Marshall
