Friends of the Earth today called for action by the Government after a report [1] by the National Rivers Authority confirms FOE's argument that urgent action is needed on leakage in order to avoid more crises in the future and protect rivers and aquifers. The report recommends that the companies make "vigorous" efforts to combat leakage and states:

"Leakage is an area where in knowledge, the UK is without doubt a world leader, but in practice with some of the highest rates in the developed world [p.34]".

The reports makes predictions about the actions that will required over the next few weeks and months if rainfall continues to be low and highlights the following:

that the drought conditions this summer have not been as exceptional as the water companies have tried to claim, and that in fact, conditions in 1976 and 1984 were worse

that rivers continue to be threatened by excessive abstraction by the companies to make up for shortfalls

that repair of leaking pipes by the water companies should be a priority

Friends of the Earth Industry and Pollution campaigner Roger Lilley said today:

"The last vestiges of the wate r companies' credibility have been shattered. We now discover that we have the experts in the UK - why are they not being used? Severe doubts w ill now persist over their commitment to long term protection of our rivers and aquifers. The problems we have seen this year will inevitably be repeated unless Mr Gummer imposes both tough new mandatory targets to reduce the appalling wastage of water from the companies' pipes. He should also give the National Rivers Authority tough new powers to curb excessive extraction by industry and agriculture."

Public confidence in the water companies has been further shaken over the revelation that they have been concealing the true extent of outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis [2] in the water supply. Earlier this month it was reported (ENDS Report 246) that the Government's Drinking Water Inspectorate has been concerned at the failure of companies to advise them of the number of incidents. In 1992 there was an outbreak in the Torbay area which South West Water failed to report; further failures happened in December 1992 at north Warrington and in Poole in spring 1993.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

[1] NRA Report "The Drought of 1995" 30.8.1995

[2] Cryptosporidiosis is a severe diarrhoeal illness casued by a protozoan pathogen, cryptosporidium, which is not destroyed by chlorine disinfection. The only means of preventing its spread in water supplies are to ensure efficient filtration during water treatment and toprotect supplies from sources of contaminaion such as sewage and animal slurry.