§ Colonel ROPNERasked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to empower residents in districts where the normal water supply has failed to call on the appropriate local authority to provide them with an alternative supply; and what steps of a special nature are being taken to ensure that none of the water being consumed in these days of drought is subject to contamination?
§ Mr. SHAKESPEAREIt would be an unfair burden on local authorities to give any resident whose water supply has failed, even a private supply, a right to call on the local authority to supply him. My right hon. Friend has impressed on local authorities the need of taking special measures where necessary. There are few towns where up to the present there have been serious difficulties. From information received from over 300 rural district councils to an inquiry sent to each of them, it appears that in most rural areas either supplies are at present sufficient or special measures have been taken; my right hon. Friend is looking into cases of difficulty reported to him. He has also impressed on water undertakers in the recent memorandum sent to them the need of watching the purity of supplies and has indicated measures to be taken where necessary.