HC Deb 15 July 1987 vol 119 cc558-60W
Mr. Livsey

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what (a) grants and (b) loans are available from Her Majesty's Government to (i) commercial and (ii) charitable private water undertakings to bring their supplies up to EEC standards.

Mr. Moynihan

Grants are available under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts towards the cost of first time connection to mains water supplies. These are payable to water authorities to reduce the cost to local authorities or private bodies requisitioning schemes. In some instances local authorities may be able to give home improvement grants to improve private water supplies within the curtilage of the property. Local authority assistance may also be given under the Building Act 1984 and Public Health Act 1936. Loans are not available from the Government for this purpose.

Mr. Livsey

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what (a) grants and (b) loans are available from the European Communities to private water undertakings to bring their supplies up to EEC standards.

Mr. Moynihan

Grants of up to 50 per cent. from the European regional development fund are available to statutory water companies towards cost of infrastructure projects. To be eligible for grant, projects must be located within an assisted area, and must contribute to, or enhance the prospects for, regional development through the expansion or regeneration of industry or by encouraging tourism. Loans are not available from the EC for this purpose.

Mr. Livsey

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration is being given in the preparation of legislation for the privatisation of the publicly owned water authorities to the position of communities already served by small private water undertakings.

Mr. Moynihan

The privatisation proposals for the water industry will have little effect themselves on the position of private water supplies. The regulation of such supplies, in so far as it is required under the Water Recources Act 1963, will be transferred from the present water authorities to the proposed National Rivers Authority. However, the Government intend in the privatisation Bill to strengthen the application of the EC drinking water directive to private water supplies. This was the subject of a consultation paper, which the Government published in February 1986.

33. Mr. Chris Smith

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what efforts the Government are making to enable the quality of the water supplied in England and Wales to comply with European Economic Community requirements with regard to nitrate levels.

Mr. Moynihan

The Government support efforts by water undertakers to keep nitrate concentrations in water supplies below the limit in the EC drinking water directive. Where supplies exceed that limit, derogations have been given provided that the supply does not exceed 80 milligrams of nitrate per litre on a three-monthly average and a maximum of 100 mg per litre. This is consistent with advice received from the Chief Medical Officer. The Government are looking carefully at the recommendations for limiting nitrate levels in drinking water which were included in the report of the nitrate co-ordination group published in December 1986.

60. Mr. Haynes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what safeguards are proposed to ensure the quality of water supplied to domestic users if his proposals for the sale of water authority services in England and Wales are implemented.

Mr. Moynihan

Ensuring the quality of drinking water supplies will remain the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, and of the local authorities, who will continue their monitoring role. Under the privatisation legislation, we propose to take powers to clarify and strengthen the legal basis for drinking water quality standards, including those standards required by the EC drinking water directive. This was the subject of a consultation paper which the Government published in May 1986.

76. Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of domestic users in England and Wales presently receiving water supplies with nitrate levels in excess of 50 milligrams per litre.

Mr. Moynihan

Some 950,000 people are supplied with water with nitrate levels in excess of 50 milligrams per litre.