§ Mr. BurnettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to collate information and inform the public about levels of radon contamination in drinking water in the United Kingdom. [148424]
Mr. Robert AinsworthLast year the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) collated the available information from water undertakers in England and Wales on their monitoring of public water supplies for radioactive substances, including radon. There is no information to suggest that any public water supplies contain significant concentrations of radon. Where the information is incomplete, water companies have been asked to arrange a sampling and analysis programme and to report the results to DWI.
315WSome 1 per cent. of the population obtains its drinking water from private supplies, where responsibility for monitoring its quality lies with local authorities. Following a recent study which found elevated levels of radon gas in some private water supplies in West Devon, my Department has written to district, borough and unitary authorities in England, alerting them to the results of the study, reminding them of their responsibilities in this respect, and identifying for them sources of relevant advice.
§ Mr. BurnettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers he has to regulate the presence of radon and similar contaminates in drinking water in the United Kingdom. [148423]
Mr. Robert AinsworthRegulations governing the quality of public water supplies require water undertakers to ensure that the water supplied contains no element, organism or substance in the water at a concentration or value which would be detrimental to human health. These regulations are enforced in England and Wales by the drinking water inspectorate on behalf of the Secretary of State and the National Assembly for Wales. Local authorities have powers to enforce similar provisions in respect of private water supplies.