HC Deb 19 June 1986 vol 99 cc633-4W
Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the water authorities in which the quality of drinking water is below the minimum standards laid down by the EEC and provide an estimate of the number of consumers in each area who are affected.

Mrs. Rumbold

All supplies meet most of the standards set in the EC directive relating to the Quality of Water intended for Human Consumption (80/778/EEC). Estimates of population in England receiving water which may not be meeting one or more of the standards are listed by water authority area.

Water authority area Estimate of water authority and water company consumers affected millions
Anglian 1.5
Northumbrian 1.0
North West 2.0
Severn Trent 2.8
Southern 0.1
South West 0.6
Thames 0.8
Yorkshire 2.0

Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the areas where bacterial pollution of drinking water or pollution by heavy metals or fluorine salts means that the quality is significantly below the standards laid down by the European Community.

Mrs. Rumbold

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) of 21 October 1985 at column95 in relation to bacterial pollution, and to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) of 24 April 1986 at columns 235 and 236 in relation to lead. No public supplies in England contain other heavy metals or fluorine salts at levels which fail to meet Community standards.

Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide his estimate of the amount of capital expenditure needed by each water authority in order to bring drinking water supplies up to European minimum standards within the next five years.

Mrs. Rumbold

Investment directed to achieving compliance with EC drinking water standards has not been identified separately from other investment. Many schemes, particularly in the field of water mains and service reservoir replacement and rehabilitation, have more than one purpose and their cost cannot be wholly attributed to the need to comply with EC standards. However, certain water treatment investment can be almost wholly attributed to achieving these standards. In their 1986 corporate plans, English water authorities are proposing to spend about £100 million over the four-year plan period on investment directed towards achieving compliance with the EC drinking water directive.

Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of people in England and Wales who receive supplies of drinking water which are either usually or frequently below the standards laid down by the European Community.

Mrs. Rumbold

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Urban Affairs and Construction on 9 December 1985 at column 466 to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith).

Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the principal pollutants of the public drinking water supply; and if he will list those pollutants which appear in such supply to an extent which exceeds the standards laid down by the European Community.

Mrs. Rumbold

Many substances naturally present in the ground as well as those added by human activities become pollutants as their concentrations increase in water. The principal potential pollutants in public water supplies are lead, aluminium and nitrate. They appear in some supplies at concentrations which exceed the maximum admissible concentration laid down in the EC Directive relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption. Where there is a health risk or where the directive requires action to be taken, programmes of improvement are in train.

Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken in each water authority area to ensure that drinking water supplies are maintained at a level which meets the minimum standards set down by the European Community.

Mrs. Rumbold

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 21 October 1985 at columns 94 and 95 to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Kilroy-Silk).

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