HC Deb 07 March 1983 vol 38 cc313-4W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what recent advice or information he has received from the standing advisory committee on water purity; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will make public the draft report of the nitrate sub-committee which has been prepared for submission to the standing advisory committee on water purity; and if he will make a statement;

(3) if he has received a copy of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report ENV/WAT/82.2 completed by that body's expert group on water pollution stemming from the use of agricultural fertilisers and intensive animal production on 21 October 1982; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Giles Shaw

The most authoritative advice on nitrates and the impact of nitrate based fertilisers on water supplies is the seventh report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, published in 1979. Aspects of the subject have also been dealt with by committees of the Department of the Environment, the Department of Health and Social Security and the National Water Council. Reports of the standing technical committee on water quality were published in April 1978 and October 1979; a further report should be published in the next few months and a fourth is now in draft but not yet approved by the committee. It will be published in due course.

OECD Document ENV/WAT/82.2 is being prepared by a multi-national group of experts for the OECD water management policy group. United Kingdom officials are aware of the document, which examines problems associated with the use of fertilizers and their possible impact on water supplies in OECD countries. It is not specific to the United Kingdom and will not represent the views or policies of any particular member country of OECD. The report is in draft form and has not yet been approved for distribution by the group or higher levels in the OECD organisation.

The situation relating to nitrate levels in drinking water is being kept under review in the United Kingdom and in international bodies. Current medical advice in the United Kingdom is that water supplies should contain less than 50 mg/litre nitrate, but a supply containing between 50 and 100 mg/litre is acceptable provided health authorities are advised. If required, bottled water can be supplied but this is very unusual. Water undertakings take action to ensure that even where water sources may have high concentrations of nitrates the water is blended or treated so that what is supplied complies with the recommendations.

The United Kingdom advice and practice are based on recommendations of the World Health Organisation which have been endorsed by the Royal Commission on environmental pollution and are supported by various United Kingdom committees, including the joint committee on the medical aspects of water quality and the standing technical advisory committee on water quality.