It is now two years since the UK Government's Environment Agency took over the regulation of large reservoirs in England and Wales. Environment Agency manager Ian Hope says while they are more compliant than ever, the diminishing pool of reservoir engineers threatens to undermine progress.
Since October 2004 the UK Government's Environment Agency has been in charge of regulating the largest 2000 reservoirs in England and Wales to ensure they operate safely. A similar change is likely to be implemented for Scotland's 680 major reservoirs in due course.
It is a big job with huge responsibilities. If the man-made lakes where most of Britain's water is stored are not properly managed and kept structurally sound as they deteriorate with age and move with seasonal variation and natural forces, much of the country could face serious flooding, major consequences for public safety and significant loss of water resources.
All the reservoirs involved have a capacity of 25 000 m3 or more, which means they are covered by the Reservoirs Act 1975.1 This requires undertakers—namely owners, operators or users—to appoint a supervising engineer to monitor and record the daily operation and maintenance of a reservoir; an inspecting engineer to carry out periodic safety checks; and a construction engineer when a reservoir is built or increased in capacity.
Non-compliance cut by 60%
Since taking over the enforcement role in England and Wales from 136 separate local authorities, the Environment Agency has reduced non-compliance with the Act by 60%. Two years ago more than 200 reservoirs had no recorded owner, 379 had no supervising engineer, 336 had an inspection overdue, 269 had no recorded last inspection date and 415 had vital safety work outstanding. By August 2006, all reservoirs had a recorded owner, there were only 16 reservoirs with no supervising engineer, only 12 with overdue inspections and 337 with safety work yet to be completed.
The Environment Agency has strived to achieve compliance in partnership with those it regulates but, as the statistics show, there is still work to do and it has to be tough on those which do not meet acceptable standards. To date it has served 91 enforcement notices and used its powers to make 13 panel engineer (specialist civil engineer) appointments. In most cases serving notice has prompted compliance and it is only now pursuing its first prosecution.
Global shortage of engineers
The Environment Agency is looking at other initiatives to improve safety, but all involve increasing the panel engineers' workload. Worryingly, however, the number of suitably qualified engineers in the reservoir industry in Britain is rapidly declining, with just 57 inspecting engineers and 159 supervising engineers left with a combined average age of over 55.
In a further drain on domestic resources, some panel engineers spend time working abroad gaining experience for qualification or re-appointment because few new dams are being constructed in Britain. Inspecting engineers may also fulfil other roles within the industry, while some supervising engineers may do other jobs in their undertaker's organisation.
Recently, a major UK water company failed to fill a supervising engineer vacancy despite a national recruitment campaign. However, this emerging skills shortage is not specific to Britain. The International Commission on Large Dams has estimated that 20 000 more reservoirs would need to be built world-wide by 2050 in order to meet the targets for tackling global poverty laid out in the United Nations' millennium development goals. Yet there is widespread concern that there would not be enough qualified engineers to do the work.
The current high safety levels of large reservoirs in England and Wales is under threat from an increasing shortage of inspecting and supervising engineers
The current high safety levels of large reservoirs in England and Wales is under threat from an increasing shortage of inspecting and supervising engineers
Recruitment initiatives needed
The Environment Agency has recognised a skills shortfall in flood risk management and, together with ICE and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, has developed a plan to attract school leavers and graduates into the business and develop and retain existing staff. Part of the strategy is a two-year foundation degree programme in flood risk management and there is no doubt that similar innovative methods need to be adopted to increase recruitment in reservoir safety.
Some firms of consulting engineers have identified a business opportunity and are training supervising engineers. However, with increasing competition for a declining pool of chartered engineers, such efforts will almost certainly not be enough.
In the meantime, recent progress in raising safety standards is in jeopardy and, ultimately, lives will be put at risk. The UK reservoir industry, including ICE and the British Dam Society, urgently need to rise to the challenge.
Reference
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, Ian Hope TEL, +44 (0)1392 442001, EMAIL ian.hope@environment-agency.gov.uk
