Water Supplies (Hansard, 30 April 1996)

§ 16. Mr. Nigel Griffiths
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to ensure that the water companies take steps to guarantee uninterrupted water supplies this summer. [25688]

§ Mr. Robert B. Jones
Under the Water Industry Act 1991 the Secretary of State—or the Director General of Water Services—may make enforcement orders requiring a company to take specific actions in order to secure compliance with any statutory or other requirement enforceable under the Act. One such duty, under section 37, is that water companies must develop and maintain an efficient and economical system of water supply within their area and make supplies available to persons who demand them.

§ 20. Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to monitor the future availability of water supplies. [25692]

§ Mr. Jones
My Department commissioned a series of reports from the National Rivers Authority on the water resource situation and prospects for supplies in England and Wales. A further report, from the Environment Agency, is expected to be published on 1 May.

§ Mrs. Helen Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what voluntary leakage reduction target each water company has set over the next five and 10 years; [27164]
(2) if he will publish water company leakage rates on a quarterly basis at times of water shortage. [27165]

§ Mr. Clappison
The water service companies' current targets for reducing leakage are summarised in the table. The Director General of Water Services is involved in on-going discussions with companies about the adequacy and consistency of these targets. There are not plans to publish leakage rates quarterly.
423W

Water Service Company Leakage Targets

Anglian Water Aim to reduce leakage to around10 per cent. by the year 2000

Dwr Cymru Aim to achieve a reduction of over a third by the year 2000

Northumbrian Water Aim to reduce leakage to 15 per cent. in the coming years

North West Water Aim to reduce leakage to 22 per cent. by the year 2000

Severn Trent Water Aim to reduce leakage to 12 per cent. over the next five years

Southern Water Aim to reduce levels to 10 per cent. by the year 2000

South West Water Aim to reduce leakage to 15 per cent. by the year 2000

Thames Water Aim to halve leakage by 2005

Wessex Water¹ Aim to achieve 15 per cent. leakage by the 2005

Yorkshire Water Aim to reduce leakage to 60M1/d by 1998 and to 20 per cent. in the longer term

Source:
Water Services Association April 1996.
¹ October 1995.

§ Mrs. Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional investment each water company approved in the past six months to respond to the present shortage of rainfall [27167]

§ Mr. Clappison
During the latter part of 1995 and the first four months of 1996, the privatised water and sewerage companies have announced additional investment of more than £400 million in developing water resources and improving the distribution network. Figures for individual companies are as follows:

£ million

Anglian Water 10

Dwr Cymru 10

Northumbrian Water 3

North West Water 53

Severn Trent Water 100

Southern Water 32

South West Water 20

Thames Water 35

Yorkshire Water 171

Wessex Water 5

Water Service Company Leakage Targets
Anglian Water	Aim to reduce leakage to around10 per cent. by the year 2000
Dwr Cymru	Aim to achieve a reduction of over a third by the year 2000
Northumbrian Water	Aim to reduce leakage to 15 per cent. in the coming years
North West Water	Aim to reduce leakage to 22 per cent. by the year 2000
Severn Trent Water	Aim to reduce leakage to 12 per cent. over the next five years
Southern Water	Aim to reduce levels to 10 per cent. by the year 2000
South West Water	Aim to reduce leakage to 15 per cent. by the year 2000
Thames Water	Aim to halve leakage by 2005
Wessex Water¹	Aim to achieve 15 per cent. leakage by the 2005
Yorkshire Water	Aim to reduce leakage to 60M1/d by 1998 and to 20 per cent. in the longer term

	£ million
Anglian Water	10
Dwr Cymru	10
Northumbrian Water	3
North West Water	53
Severn Trent Water	100
Southern Water	32
South West Water	20
Thames Water	35
Yorkshire Water	171
Wessex Water	5