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High Speed 2 Line: Water Abstraction

Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

UIN HL2270, tabled on 7 September 2022

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish regular water quality data from the public water abstraction points being affected by HS2.

Answered on

23 September 2022

In England, water companies have a duty to carry out assessments to identify any risks to the water supply from source to tap, which includes any large-scale construction work in the area. They will monitor the quality of water at abstraction points and, where necessary, put mitigations in place to ensure that drinking water supplies are protected and comply with drinking water standards at all times. The raw water quality results are reported to the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the independent regulator of drinking water in England and Wales, and shared with the Environment Agency.

The Chief Inspector of Drinking Water publishes quarterly and annual reports covering drinking water quality testing and results, public confidence in drinking water and technical audit activity.

https://www.dwi.gov.uk/en/what-we-do/annual-report/

The Environment Agency publishes raw water quality results. Due to National Security considerations, not all data on specific abstraction points is published.

https://environment.data.gov.uk/water-quality/view/landing