§ Mr. Joplingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what suggestions he made in his recent discussions with the North West Water Authority concerning the possibility of using Lake District water to supply Merseyside, over the period during which these new arrangements might operate, the amount of water which might be supplied daily; and whether he proposed that the emergency drawings from Ullswater and Lake Windermere, which are already authorised, would be extended beyond 31st January 1977.
§ Mr. MarksReallocation of the present water supply arrangements for Merseyside would only become necessary if the severe water shortages recently experienced elsewhere were to be repeated. In that event up to 8 million gallons per day—i.e., about 6 per cent. of the normal yield of the Lake District sources, might have to be diverted from Manchester to Merseyside.
580WThe drought orders authorising the present emergency abstractions from Ullswater and Lake Windermere will remain in force until 31st March 1977, subject to the condition that Lake Windermere must not be drawn down below normal level after 31st January.
Any application by the water authority for an extension of these orders beyond 31st March, on the grounds that lack of winter rainfall had created a shortage in water stocks similar to that existing this summer, would require a repetition of the proceedure which led to the recent hearing of objections.