§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the incidence of unwholesome water supply in the north Sheffield area; if he will take steps to monitor the incidence of ill-health arising from the supply of the Yorkshire water authority; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardI have been asked to reply.
I understand that drinking water from the north Sheffield area is supplied from the Yorkshire grid, from the recently built Langsett treatment works and from the Pennine treatment works. Supplies from the Yorkshire grid and Langsett treatment works are normally of very good quality although there may be occasional breaches of the EC drinking water directive standard for iron. These supplies serve the majority of the people of north Sheffield.
Supplies from the Pennine treatment works, notably Loxley and Ewden, regularly fail to comply with the EC directive standards for manganese and aluminium. These substances affect the appearance of drinking water and are not considered to be a risk to health. Remedial works for both treatment plants are included in the Yorkshire water authority's current capital programme.
Monitoring is already being undertaken nationally by the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Centre.