Tap Water (Hansard, 26 March 1990)

§ Mr. Wigley
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many households in each district, borough and city council area in Wales have tap water which is above(a) 100 micrograms of lead per litre concentration and (b) 50 micrograms per litre; and what were the figures for each year from 1985 to 1989.

§ Mr. Grist
This information is not available. However, Dwr Cymru has confirmed that the water that it supplies complies with the lead standard in the EC directive relating to the quality of water for human consumption (80/778/EEC).

§ Mr. Wigley
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many tests were carried out on tap water standards in district, borough and city council area in Wales to locate the(a) lead, (b) aluminium, (c) pesticides, (d) nitrates and (e) trihalomenthanes in each year from 1985 to 1989.

§ Mr. Grist
This information is not held centrally and I refer the hon. Gentleman to the chairman of the respective water undertakers and to the environmental health officers of local authorities.
The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989 No. 1147) contain requirements about the frequency of sampling by water undertakers. So far as local authorities are concerned, sampling frequencies relating to public supplies are a matter for the authorities' 23W discretion. Advice on the frequency of sampling by authorities of private supplies is contained in WO circular 51/84.
Water undertakers are required by regulation 29(1)(f) and 30(1) to maintain a public register of the results of all analyses. Regulation 31 requires that all undertakers prepare and publish an annual report of water quality.

§ Mr. Wigley
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures for levels of lead in tap water in drinking water at hospitals in Wales.

§ Mr. Grist
Information about levels of lead in tap water in drinking water at hospitals is not collected by the Welsh Office or by district health authorities.
Almost without exception, hospitals in Wales use water supplied by water undertakers. It is, in the first instance, for the companies themselves to ensure that the water they supply for domestic purposes—including supplies to hospitals—is wholesome. The sampling regime to be followed by the companies is prescribed by the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989, No. 1147).
Local authorities also are under a duty to monitor public supplies and are required to ensure that private water supplies in their areas are wholesome.