§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he gave and what(a) statutory and (b) other bodies he consulted concerning the impact on personal health and hygiene and public health, particularly on children, the elderly and the sick, of his policy to encourage the use of water meters for domestic premises; and if he will place the relevant documents in the Library. [37369]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Department of the Environment and the Office of Water Services commissioned a survey on "The Social Impact of Water Metering" the report of which was published in August 1992. A copy of the report is in the Library. The views of a wide range of organisations were sought in the Department's consultation paper "Using Water Wisely" published in July 1992. A copy of this document and a list of the organisations which responded to it are available in the Library.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the approximate revenue cost per given annual volume of water lost by leakage from(a) high and (b) low pressure water mains at which it becomes non-economic to eliminate such leakage, using average or median national costs for producing potable public supplies. [37337]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe economic cost of leakage varies significantly, not only between companies but also within each company's operating area. An average national figure would not be meaningful.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to annex B, paragraph 8 of his document "Water Conservation; Government Action", what were the methodology and assumptions used; and what is the range of cost/value calculations he has used in determining his public targets for reduction by water companies in leakage for their mains distribution system. [37370]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Government does not at present propose to set mandatory leakage targets. The water companies themselves are in the best position to judge costs and benefits of leakage control. It will be for the Director General of Water Services to negotiate demanding voluntary leakage targets which take account of varying local circumstances.
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§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what(a) advice has been issued and (b) regulations have been made by her Majesty's Government concerning the desirability of fitting of cisterns in domestic premises for the continued supply of water for hygiene and hot water systems during interruptions in mains supply. [37274]
§ Mr. ClappisonSection 66 of the Water Industry Act 1991 allows water undertakers to require certain properties to be provided with a cistern. In the case of a relevant house, the cistern should be capable of holding sufficient water to provide an adequate supply for a period of 24 hours.
Except in an emergency, a water undertaker may cut off a supply of water to any premises for the purposes of carrying out any necessary works only after having served reasonable notice on the consumer. If any supply of water to those premises for domestic purposes is interrupted for more than 24 hours for the purposes of carrying out those works then the water undertaker has a duty to the consumer to provide an emergency supply of water within a reasonable distance of the premises.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the mean daily evaporation rates from free water surfaces of reservoirs and rivers over a given period for known locations in England and Wales for an appropriate period of summer drought. [37368]
§ Mr. ClappisonStandard hydrological textbooks provide the equations, and the Meterological Office reports the data, from which estimates of free water evaporation can be made.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment following his conclusions in paragraph 29 of his White Paper, "Water Conservation, Government Action", that reduction in the need for additional capital investment in supply of water leads to consequential savings of cost for consumers, what are(a) nationally and (b) on a local basis the appropriate percentages of water charges that have been devoted to such investment (i) by undertakings which were previously regional water authorities and (ii) other water companies. [37382]
§ Mr. ClappisonBetween 1989–90 and 1994–95 the water industry's investment on water resource development was about 5 per cent. of total investment on the water service during this period. Water company capital programmes may be funded by a combination of debt or equity finance and retained profits. Information on the percentage of water charges that has been devoted by the various water companies to this resource development is not held centrally.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names or descriptions of the relevant statutory or non-statutory bodies now fulfilling the duties, including reportage, of(a) the former National Water Council and (b) the former regional water authorities, as specified in sections 4 and 24 respectively of the Water Act 1973 before their replacement or repeal later. [37276]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe Water Act 1983 provided for the dissolution of the National Water Council, which was primarily a consultative and advisory body on matters 161W relating to national water policy, and for its functions to cease by order of the Secretary of State. Subsequently, water authorities established their own non-statutory body, the Water Authorities Association—now the Water Services Association—to promote their interests nationally and to inform consumers about their activities.
Following the reorganisation of the water industry in England and Wales in 1989, the functions of the former water authorities are now largely undertaken by a combination of the National Rivers Authority, the drinking water inspectorate and the successor water and sewerage companies themselves.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support from public funds, by nature and amount, ceased to be available to the former regional water authorities in England and Wales in privatisation. [37270]
§ Mr. ClappisonWater companies ceased to have access to the national loans fund on privatisation. The amounts borrowed would have varied annually depending upon their capital requirements. They continue to be eligible to apply for Government grants and support from European funds for qualifying schemes.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will request the relevant bodies, agencies or organisations concerned with the conservation, purification and distribution of potable water supplies in England and Wales to prepare a report on national water resources, taking into account circumstances of the winter of 1976 and those of the summer of 1995; [37367]
(2) what is the general increase in demand for potable water supplies in periods of summer drought over average summer consumption (a) for each of the principal water regions and (b) nationally; and what assessment he has made of the purposes to which that extra demand is put. [37365]
§ Mr. ClappisonMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 1 September that the Department will be conducting a review of all aspects of legislation, planning, organisation and preparation for droughts. This will include consideration of changes in patterns of demand for water which have happened or which seem likely, and will involve all the interests concerned.