§ Ms. RichardsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he intends to take to enable consumers in the water industry to charge suppliers in the event of unsatisfactory service;
(2) what arrangements will be taken to ensure that water public limited companies replace and update mains in order to minimise flooding, interruptions of supply and the potential for pollution;
197W(3) what powers he plans to seek to ensure that necessary levels of capital expenditure are spent on water and sewage infrastructure in the final years of a water public limited company's licence period;
(4) what legal sanctions will be available against those water public limited companies which fail to provide a wholesome or adequate water supply; who will be able to employ such sanctions; and who will define whether or not a supply is adequate;
(5) what duties there will be on water public limited companies to make interim arrangements for alternative supplies and to provide appropriate information to consumers in the event of mains repairs, bursts or other interruptions of normal supply;
(6) what arrangements will be made to provide compensation for householders for damage arising from faulty or leaking mains in the event of water privatisation;
(7) whether, in the event of privatisation of the water industry, water public limited companies will have a similar duty to that now exercised by the water undertakers to provide, wherever possible, supplies of water for fire-fighting purposes; and whether the existing mains in tall buildings such as tower blocks will he fitted with water meters to assist in fire fighting;
(8) how the privatisation of the water industry will affect the maintaining and regulatory functions of local authorities with regard to water and sewage in pipes and drains, ponds, cesspools, and so on;
(9) what arrangements are being made for the control of rats in sewers and the proper maintenance and repair of sewers in the event of water privatisation.
§ Mr. Moynihan[holding answer 11 January 1988]: The privatised water utility companies will have obligations towards their customers identical in most respects to those of the water authorities at present. However, consultation papers issued in 1986 proposed changes in water and sewerage law and in the law relating to drinking water quality. The legislation to privatise the authorities will take those changes into consideration. Local authority responsibilities in respect of non-mains drainage and drinking water quality will be unchanged. The legislation and the system of regulation will ensure that water utility companies provide an effective service to customers
Country 1982 tonnes 1983 tonnes 1984 tonnes 1985 tonnes 1986 tonnes Scotland 498,187 499,121 543,312 592,570 551,290 England 237,130 220,676 163,940 137,891 136,332 Wales 14,040 9,819 7,851 9,005 9,603 Northern Ireland 25,278 18,806 18,549 22,587 20,481