Earl Baldwin of Bewdleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 23 March (WA 18–19)Whether the cited annexes to Directive 85/337/EEC (as amended by Directive 97/11/EEC) are definitive as regards the projects for which an environmental impact assessment is required; and whether they will specify the standards for fluoride for drinking water and the legislation in which they are framed as well as the operational environmental quality standards developed by the Environment Agency. [HL1966]
§ Lord WhittyAnnexes I and II to Directive 85/337/EEC (as amended by Directive 97/11/EEC) prescribe the list of projects for which an environmental impact assessment is required under the directive. The directive is given effect in English planning law by the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999. Schedules 1 and 2 to the regulations give a definitive list of projects which require an environmental impact assessment before planning permission may be granted. They do not include fluoridation schemes.
The standard of 1.5 milligrams per litre for fluoride in drinking water is contained in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989, as amended.
The operational environmental quality standards developed by the Environment Agency, taking account of water hardness, are as follows: for receiving waters with less than 50 milligrams/litre calcium, an annual average of 1 milligram per litre (dissolved fluoride) and a maximum admissible concentration (MAC) of 3 milligrams per litre; for receiving waters with greater than 50 milligrams/litre calcium, an annual average of 5 milligrams per litre (dissolved fluoride) and a maximum admissible concentration (MAC) of 15 milligrams per litre.
162WA