§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many homes in the UK have been affected by nitrate contamination in drinking water by region of the UK in each of the last 10 years. [139607]
§ Mr. MullinThe information is not available in the form requested. Since 1990 the Drinking Water Inspectorate has published annually information relating to compliance with drinking water quality standards in England and Wales, including the nitrate standard of 50 milligrams per litre. The available information is summarised in the following table:
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Year Number of tests for nitrate Number of tests failing nitrate standard 1990 40,509 1,117 1991 41,430 1,170 1992 45,031 852 1993 41,031 364 1994 38,433 318
Year Number of tests for nitrate Number of tests failing nitrate standard 1995 33,607 142 1996 33,570 43 1997 30,403 13 1998 30,620 14 1999 30,722 17 Between 1990 and 1996, water companies completed major programmes of treatment to reduce nitrate concentrations in drinking water supplies in response to enforcement action taken by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Failures to meet the nitrate standard are now very rare. The Inspectorate continues to take enforcement action when failures recur in a particular supply.