§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will consider banning lead solder in the joints of new copper pipes; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what evidence there is that lead solder in the joints of copper pipes just installed contaminate drinking water to an unacceptably high level;
(3) if he will publish the report prepared by scientists at the Water Research Centre for his Department entitled "Contamination of Water by Domestic Plumbing Fittings"; and if he will make a statement on the report.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe report referred to was prepared by the Water Research Centre as part of a DOE contract to investigate the effects of plumbing materials on the quality of tap water. WRC reports are not usually published by the sponsor, but often the centre is given permission to use the information contained in them in its technical report series. This report has not previously been published, but I have now placed copies in the Library.
The report indicates that water contamination is negligible from well made soldered joints in copper pipes. From a small minority of joints, however, which may have been made badly and be in pipes where water could remain unchanged for extended periods, a concentration of lead derived from lead-tin solder can occasionally develop to
Central Parks Regent's Park Greenwich Park Hampton Court Richmond Park Total 1972 279 131 60 133 99 702 1973 284 138 65 154 100 741 1974 265 125 65 144 82 681 1975 297 145 72 153 85 752 1976 279 141 73 140 75 708 1977 279 136 81 141 78 715 1978 270 130 72 134 82 688 1979 265 122 69 135 71 662 1980 264 134 70 130 71 669 1981 262 126 71 121 68 648 1982 220½ 106 63 111 60 560½ Notes
1. The figures include casual and seasonal staff who are normally recruited in the summer. The timing of such casual and seasonal recruitment may influence the figures; e.g., as at the Serpentine Lido, which was not open on 1 June 1982.
2. From 1972 to 1981 part-time staff were counted as one. In 1982 the seven part-time staff are each counted as half.
3. The figures include outstations for which responsibility has varied during the period covered.