The Yorkshire drought of 1995 - Lessons from the UFF report

Water Law

Volumn 7, Issue 5-6, 1996, Pages 208-218

  Stanley, Neil ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS   (United Kingdom)

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 0038563259     PISSN: 09599754     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (38)

1. Water Supply in Yorkshire: Report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry (1996). Available from Yorkshire Water Report, PO Box 2860, Mildmay Avenue, London N1 4RS (£10).
2. Mott MacDonald report to Yorkshire Water Services (June 1991).
3. Yorkshire Water Services, main submission to the inquiry, chapter 3.
4. Report to DoE prepared by Professor B Rolf and E Hampson. Inquiry core documents 35 and 36.
5. Report of DoE Inspector JS Nixon, 22 November 1995. Inquiry core document 37.
6. See s 138 of the Local Government Act 1972, and the Civil Protection in Peacetime Act 1986.
7. Home Office publications, Dealing with Disaster (HMSO, 1994) and Emergency Planning Guidance to Local Authorities (HMSO, 1986, under revision).
8. Home Office publications, Dealing with Disaster (HMSO, 1994) and Emergency Planning Guidance to Local Authorities (HMSO, 1986, under revision).
9. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
10. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
11. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
12. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
13. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
14. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
15. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
16. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
17. One excellent practically orientated publication is Barton, Crisis in Organisations: Managing and Communicating in the Heat of Chaos (South-Western Publishing, 1993). Also recommended are Lagadec, Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (McGraw-Hill, 1993); Perspectives on Britain, Hazard Management and Emergency Planning (Parker and Handmer (eds)) (James and James, 1992); Turner, Man-made Disasters (Wykenham, 1978); Berge, The First 24 Hours: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Crisis Communications (Basil Blackwell, 1990); Fink, Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable (Amacom, 1986); Kharbanda and Stallworthy, Company Rescue (Heinemann, 1987); Quarantelli, Principles of Planning for Industrial and Business Disaster (Delaware Disaster Research Centre, 1982); and Coping with Crises: The Management of Disasters, Riots and Terrorism (Rosenthal, Michael and Hart (eds)) (Charles C Thomas, 1989).
18. See the documents submitted to the inquiry by public health experts - Inquiry core documents 19, 35, 99, 118 and 128.
19. One is reminded of Bierce's definition of a company as "an ingenious device for the maximisation of profit and the minimisation of responsibility" in Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary (TY Crovvell, 1979).
20. The long-term benefits of metering have been challenged by Professor Rofe in the House of Commons Environment Committee inquiry commencing on 5 June 1996; see [1996] 257 ENDS Report 31.
21. For example, see the account of AH Robins filing for "chapter 11" (i.e. protection from bankruptcy) amidst claims that its Dalkon IUD caused miscarriages and deaths, in Crisis in Organisations (supra), p 49.
22. The Peace and Emergency Planning Unit published Leeds City Council Emergencies Handbook in 1989.
23. Twenty tonnes of aluminium sulphate were accidentally introduced into South West Water's drinking water supply in July 1988.
24. For example, the cryptosporidiosis outbreak, affecting 575 people in Torbay in August 1995 and the E. Coli and Campylobacter contamination in Fife in March 1995, which affected 633 people.
25. See DoE, Safeguarding the Quality of Public Water Supplies and the security direction to water companies referred to in Stanley, Civil Emergencies and the Water Industry [1994] 5 WLAW 99.
26. See DoE, Safeguarding the Quality of Public Water Supplies and the security direction to water companies referred to in Stanley, Civil Emergencies and the Water Industry [1994] 5 WLAW 99.
27. Since privatisation the numbers of full-time staff employed by Yorkshire Water Services has dropped from 4,959 in 1989 to 3,373 in 1995; see p 27 of the Uff Report.
28. In the United States, litigation follows closely on the heels of disruptions in service. In 1988, Illinois Bell Telephone suffered a major incident when a fire destroyed fibre optic equipment and tens of thousands of customers were forced to wait for up to 30 days for a resumption of service; see Barton, Crisis in Organisations (supra), p 115.
29. Digital, the computer and communications company, lost its UK headquarters in a serious fire in 1992. Fortunately, the company had back-up facilities available. See the litigation which resulted from the fire, Capital and Counties pic v Hampshire County Council (1996) The Times, 26 April.
30. Details of the Abbeystead explosion are reported in The Abbeystead Explosion, Health & Safety Executive (HMSO, 1985).
31. In 1989, BP Chemicals had a controlled release of a chemical at its Saltend Plant in Hull which resulted in widespread public concern as a purple iodine gas cloud drifted towards the town of Hedon. Seven years later the incident is still fresh in the memory of many people who live in East Yorkshire. See the presentation by M Joslin at the Managing Environmental Incidents conference, which took place on 6 April 1995 at the University of Leeds.
32. See the account of the Perrier crisis in Barton, Crisis in Organisations (supra) at p 87.
33. The fire at Hickson & Welch's Castleford plant in 1992 resulted in four deaths. Two years later the company was still a target for bad publicity, when in an oblique reference to the fire, the Yorkshire Post ran a story on a pollution incident at the plant under the heading "River polluted with 'deathblast' chemical".
34. Report on the Conclusions from OFWAT's Enquiry into the Performance of Yorkshire Water Services Ltd, OFWAT, June 1996.
35. Independent on Sunday (1996) 25 February, pp 10-12.
36. Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 (SI 1984/1902). CIMAH site operators do, as a matter of course, plan to deal with the effects of one in one million events.
37. Preventing Chaos in a Crisis (supra).
38. [1996] 257 ENDS Report 30.