§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what measurements have been taken of discharges of materials harmful to bathing water quality from the River Ribble into the Irish sea over the last(a) 12 months, (b) 24 months and (c) 36 months; [106365]
(2) at what points along the River Ribble water quality has been tested; and what the results of these tests have been, for (a) the last 12 months, (b) the last 24 months and (c) the last 36 months. [106362]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: Water quality has been extensively tested at many points and at various times along the River Ribble and elsewhere as part of the comprehensive programme of studies into problems with compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive along the Fylde coast. The main purpose of the programme has been to determine the inputs of faecal contamination to the area, and their patterns of dispersion and impacts on bathing waters, in order to establish the need for further improvements to the sewerage infrastructure. Measurements have also been taken to develop a water quality model of the River Ribble and its estuary. I will arrange for the Environment Agency, North West Region to send my hon. Friend a copy of their report on these issues.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent measures the European Union authorities have requested to ensure compliance with mandatory EU bathing water standards along the Fylde coast. [106367]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The EC Commission has not requested any measures additional to those under way by the Environment Agency and North West Water.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the reasons for the failure of North West Water's recent bathing water improvement schemes to raise the level of compliance with mandatory EU standards along the Fylde coast. [106364]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: Recently completed investment schemes have improved water quality in the Ribble Estuary, although these have not yet brought compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive along the Fylde coast. The Environment Agency considers that further improvements are required to treatment and storm water management at Wigan/Skelmersdale and to stormwater management at Southport and combined sewer overflows in Preston to ensure compliance at Southport and Lytham with the EC Bathing Water Directive. The Agency is currently investigating the possibility that compliance problems in the Blackpool area are caused by contaminated groundwater from beneath the town.
654W
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions have taken place with businesses in the North West about monitoring discharges into(a) the River Ribble and (b) the Irish sea. [106361]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Environment Agency has monitored each of the significant discharges in the area thought to impact on bathing water quality along the Fylde coast. The main focus of discussion has been on steps to reduce sewage discharges operated by North West Water but the Agency has been in contact with other dischargers where it appears that they may be implicated in the problems of compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assurances he has received from North West Water and the Environment Agency that the latest investment programme to improve bathing water quality along the Fylde coast will result in compliance with EU directive standards. [106368]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The completed improvement schemes and further planned improvements are considered necessary to ensure compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive along the Fylde coast. Whether these works will be sufficient to ensure compliance or whether additional measures will be required will be clearer as the results of current investigations into the causes of failure become available and are assessed.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the possible contribution of animal and avian waste to bathing water quality along the Fylde coast. [106363]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Environment Agency's current assessment is that animal and avian waste is unlikely to make a significant contribution to the overall bacterial load, in terms of compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive. However, the Agency is undertaking further studies to refine this assessment.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent measures have been required of North West Water to ensure compliance with mandatory EU bathing water standards along the Fylde coast. [106366]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: Recent measures required of North West Water and completed in 1999 were the provision of ultra-violet disinfection in Southport, Hesketh Bank, Preesall and Preston sewage treatment works; a substantial increase in the stormwater storage associated with the Fylde tunnel; improved stormwater arrangements at Fairhaven/Lytham, Hesketh Bank, Harrowside and Preston works; and closure of the works at Hambledon with transfer of flows to Fleetwood.
Further works required as soon as possible include treatment enhancement and stormwater management at Southport and combined sewage overflows in Preston. All these measures are considered necessary to ensure bathing water compliance in the area.
655W
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions his Department has had with the relevant EU authorities about water quality and beach pollution in the last 12 months. [106360]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: My Department has regular and frequent contact with the EC Commission to discuss bathing water quality including progress on improving compliance along the Fylde coast with the EC Bathing Water Directive.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment has been made of the possible impact on bathing water quality along the Fylde coast of(a) agricultural runoff and (b) discharges by businesses other than North West Water into the River Ribble. [106355]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Environment Agency estimate that the contamination load of agricultural runoff and other non-water company discharges into the River Ribble is small, in terms of compliance with the EC Bathing Water Directive, compared to discharges by North West Water. But to determine whether contamination from animals can be significant in some circumstances, studies are being undertaken to discover the geographical origin of animal faeces, including the forensic examination of washed-up material to determine the diet of the producer animal; and bacterial "fingerprinting" to determine whether there are any types characteristic of particular animal species.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures of bathing water quality have been taken at(a) Blackpool, (b) Fleetwood and (c) Thornton Cleveleys in (i) the last 12 months, (ii) the last 24 months and (iii) the last 36 months. [106358]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: All bathing waters are measured 20 times between May and September each year against the quality requirements of the EC Bathing Water Directive. Results for the bathing waters at Blackpool, Fleetwood and Cleveleys over the past three years are as follows:
Number of samples passing the mandatory coliform bacteria standards (19 or more is a pass) 1997 1998 1999 Blackpool South 11 15 16 Blackpool Central 16 14 15 Blackpool North 18 18 16 Fleetwood 16 20 20 Cleveleys 18 20 19
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initial assessment he has made of the impact on bathing water quality on the Fylde coast of the treatment plant at Fleetwood. [106359]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The plant at Fleetwood, which treats sewage which was previously discharged untreated at several points close to the Fylde coast, was a necessary first stage of the bathing water quality improvement programme. Water quality 656W monitoring studies by the Environment Agency show that the treated discharges from Fleetwood into the Lune Deeps have a negligible adverse impact on Fylde coast bathing waters.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions his Department has had with North West Water and the Environment Agency on enforcement of bathing water quality by the European Commission. [106356]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Department has regular and frequent contact with North West Water and the Environment Agency on measures to ensure bathing waters in the area achieve the required EU standards.
§ Mr. Gordon MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the results are of the QSR for the Irish sea. [106357]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 24 January 2000]: The Quality Status Report for the Celtic Seas (which covers the Irish Sea) is being prepared by the OSPAR Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North East Atlantic. The Commission plans to publish it in June, along with the other four regional Quality Status Reports (on the Arctic, the North Sea and English Channel, the Bay of Biscay and the deep Atlantic) and the holistic Quality Status Report on the North East Atlantic as a whole.