HL Deb 21 June 1990 vol 520 cc1047-9

3.20 p.m.

Lord Donoughue asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have given any direction to the water companies about the desirable proportion of the water supply to be derived from bore-holes, and what proportion of its water supply the Anglian Water Company derives from bore-holes.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Hesketh)

My Lords, the abstraction of water from bore-holes—like any other abstraction of inland water—is subject to the approval of full consideration of the environmental and water resource implications. It is up to individual water companies to decide how they want to obtain water. The Anglian Water Company obtains some 50 per cent. of its supplies from groundwater.

Lord Donoughue

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Noting the extremely high percentage of water which the Anglian Water Company derives from bore-holes—I believe it to be the highest of any company —does he not agree that water derived from bore-holes is much more damaging in conservation terms than that derived from reservoirs because of the long-term depletion of the water table? Is he also aware that that company has dug a further 30 bore-holes in the past nine months and boasts of having no intention of building a reservoir for 20 years? Will he ask the National Rivers Authority to suggest to the Anglian Water Company that it should not be permitted to dig more bore-holes until it announces a programme of reservoir construction?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, I am more than happy to concur with the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Donoughue, with regard to the 30 bore-holes. It is important that we should remind ourselves that water is water above or below the ground. It is all very well for the noble Lord to suggest that we should ask the Anglian Water Company to consider the construction of reservoirs. I am sure that he is aware of the excitement caused by the construction of Rutland Water. That raised environmental problems which many would consider are just as great above ground as below it.

Lord Bridges

My Lords, is the Minister aware of growing anxiety throughout East Anglia at the effect of the high level of abstraction from underground aquifers? Will he invite the National Rivers Authority to publish regular statistics which show the current state of our aquifers and the proposed rate of decline or increase so that we know what we are talking about?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the National Rivers Authority's job is to ensure that abstractions are permitted only if they are sustainable and do not cause unacceptable environmental damage. Water table levels in East Anglia are at a low level after two very dry winters. However, they are not at historically low levels.

Lord Zuckerman

My Lords, I was unaware that 30 new bore-holes had been drilled. Can the noble Lord say whether the recent abrupt decline in the water table in Norfolk can be attributed to that action on the part of the Anglian Water Company?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the present low levels are due to low rainfall during the past two winters.

Lord Nugent of Guildford

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that in the great drought of 1976 the record of the Anglian Water Authority, as it then was, in the management of its water resources was quite outstanding? It was able to maintain supplies despite great difficulties. The area relies on a high proportion of groundwater supplies, the countryside being very flat and reservoirs a difficult proposition. Is my noble friend aware that the implication in this Question is not justified?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, my noble friend Lord Nugent brings to the attention of your Lordships' House two important points: first, that in the 1976 drought the greatest problems were found by those authorities which depended more on reservoirs than on bore-holes; and secondly, that East Anglia is very flat and, as a result, the attraction of reservoirs less than in other areas.

Baroness David

My Lords, is the Minister aware that water extraction is clearly affecting the habitats and, therefore, survival of some uncommon plants? My husband, who is a botanist, tells me that a sedge, carex appropinquata, is vanishing from East Anglia where, some time ago, it was in quite good supply —no doubt because of the water abstraction?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the biggest influence on the level of the water table is the level of rainfall and not abstraction. Where I live there are no bore-holes at all but the water table has fallen precipitately, entirely due to the low level of rainfall.

Viscount Montgomery of Alamein

My Lords, is my noble friend aware that quite a number of rivers in England and Wales are seriously depleted for a variety of reasons? Is he satisfied that the National Rivers Authority has sufficient teeth to grip that problem?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the National Rivers Authority is well aware that it has a duty as regards over-abstraction affecting river flows and at present is studying 20 rivers in that respect.

Lord John-Mackie

My Lords, is the Minister sure of his statement that rainfall is the cause of the low water levels? About 30 years ago I wanted to build a bore-hole and the water authority in my area refused permission because the number of bore-holes had permanently lowered the water tables in that area?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, I am sure that the noble Lord, Lord John-Mackie, is aware of the number of abstraction licences and their amount of use and of the counterpart to his argument; namely, that the water table in London is rising due to the reduction of industry over a long period.