§ Dr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report the date and details of the most recent analysis of drinking water supplied in the House of Commons, and the European Community maximum admissible concentration levels for sulphate, fluoride, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, manganese, nickel, conductivity and turbidity.
§ Mr. Ridley[holding answer 17 May 1989]: Drinking water in the Palace of Westminster is taken direct from the Thames water authority's main supply. Sampling is therefore undertaken only when a specific need arises. The most recent testing on 14 March 1989 followed a complaint about an unpleasant taste in the water. The 603W laboratory of the Government chemist's tests confirmed that the samples were chemically and bacteriologically suitable for drinking.
Substance/condition Source of sample EEC Maximum admissible concentration Members' cafeteria sink Members' cafeteria drinking water machine Sulphate as S04 (mg/e) 66 64 250 Fluoride (ug/l) 200 180 1,500 Potassium (mg/l) 6.5 6.5 12 Sodium (mg/l) 34.9 35.8 150 Magnesium (mg/l) 6.0 5.9 50 Iron (ug/l) 18 10 200 Manganese 5 5 50 Nickel (ug/l) —1 —1 50 Conductivity (usiemans/cm at 20°) 747 599 1,500 Turbidity (NTU) 0.62 0.88 4 1 Not determined.