§ 6. Mr. Priorasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what research is being undertaken into the economic feasibility of the artificial underground recharging of aquifiers, in order to conserve excess winter rainfall to supplement available winter resources during the drier summer months; and whether he is satisfied that the existing administrative structure of statutory water authorities makes it possible thoroughly to exploit this method of water storage.
§ Sir K. JosephWork has been done in the Nottingham area on the chemical problems involved in returning raw water from the River Trent into the Bunter Sandstone; the object is to determine how far artificial recharge is feasible. If the results are favourable the next step will be to examine the economics of recharge.
A Sub-Committee of the Central Advisory Water Committee is at present considering water conservation generally, and I understand that its report will cover administrative as well as technical questions.
§ Mr. PriorIs my hon. Friend aware of the concern at the apparent absence of any very positive measures on a national or regional basis to deal with this problem, particularly bearing in mind that, in the Eastern Counties at any rate, there is a fear that legislation may be introduced soon to prevent farmers from taking water from streams and rivers during the summer for irrigation 801 purposes? Will my hon. Friend also pay attention to the fact that by storing water underground we shall save considerable areas of agricultural land which would otherwise have to be used for storage by reservoirs? Will he do his best to spread research in this connection?
§ Sir K. JosephThis is a most important, but also very difficult, technical question with legal, financial and administrative implications. I think we should await the result of the research, which is more widespread than I have had time to mention, and the comments of the expert committee.