§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who is responsible for the collection of information about(a) lead, (6) nitrates, and (c) other toxic chemicals in drinking water is Scotland; and what are the penalties for not properly discharging such responsibilities.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonResponsibility for the quality of public drinking water and related matters lies with the water authorities, the regional and islands councils. The district and islands councils carry out this function in relation to private water supplies. EC directive 80/778/EEC, the drinking water directive, requires regular monitoring of the quality of water intended for human consumption including the presence of lead, nitrates and other toxic substances. There are no specific penalties for failure to discharge these responsibilities.
The Water Bill now before Parliament provides for regulations to be made which will define the duties of the water authorities, including monitoring and recording the quality of drinking water and making the information publicly available. Regulations are now being prepared for consultation.