§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are taken at present regularly to inspect dams to ensure their safety; who is responsible for undertaking such inspections; and if he is satisfied with the current arrangements.
§ Mr. MarksThe Reservoirs (Safety Provisions) Act 1930 requires that all reservoirs capable of holding more than 5 million gallons of water shall be inspected at least once every 10 years. The reservoir undertaker is responsible for arranging the inspection, which must be carried out by a qualified civil engineer from whichever is appropriate of the panels appointed by the Secretary of State for the purposes of the Act. There has been no serious reservoir failure in Great Britain since enactment; the Reservoirs Act 1975, which is not yet in force, does, however, strengthen the arrangements for inspection and supervision of reservoirs following advice from the Institution of Civil Engineers.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the estimated number and ages of dams in Wales and the United Kingdom, respectively.
§ Mr. MarksThe International Commission on Large Dams lists 526 dams in the United Kingdom, of which 209 were constructed before 1900. The corresponding figures for Wales alone are 57 and 14.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to implement the measures in the British Reservoirs Act 1975 regarding the preparation of a comprehensive inventory of dams in Great Britain.
§ Mr. MarksI am at present consulting with the interested parties about implementation of the Reservoirs Act 1975.