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Euro MP urges Coalition to axe charge for private wells and spring water
June 3, 2010 5:24 PM
Originally published by Liz Lynne
Originally published by Liz Lynne
Liz Lynne is calling on the Coalition to scrap Labour's law to charge up to £500 to use water supplied from private wells or springs
Thousands of rural householders across Shropshire, Herefordshire and upland Worcestershire and Staffordshire who get their water from a spring or a well could be forced to pay big bills and may have their supply cut off.
The 'Private Water Supplies Regulations 2009' passed by the last Labour government requires councils to enforce compliance with new quality requirements even for a single well.
Local Lib Dem Euro MP Liz Lynne is calling on the new Coalition government to scrap the law, which she says is a classic example of Whitehall 'gold plating' an EU directive in a way that was never intended.
Under the rules agreed by the Labour government, households could be charged up to £500 for a 'risk assessment' and further sums for sampling, investigating, and 'granting an authorisation' so they can continue to use the wells or springs, even if used for centuries without a problem.
Liz Lynne accused the last Labour government of 'nanny state interference.' She said: "These UK rules far exceed those required by the European Union to protect drinking water supplies.
"The new coalition government are looking for unnecessary laws to scrap. Here is a prime example of stupid red tape that wrongly gives the EU a bad name which they can add to the bonfire."
The 1998 EU Drinking Water Directive set high standards for mains water but has an exemption for an individual supply serving fewer than 50 people. However, the last Labour government decided not to take advantage of the exemption. Up to 300,000 consumers across England could be liable to charges of £500 unless the UK regulation is changed.
By contrast, the Scottish Parliament has introduced a two-tier system with only a light-touch approach towards users of spring and well water.
Liz Lynne added: "This law as it stands could impose a huge new charge on thousands of hamlets and farms all over this region already struggling to cope with the recession. The reality of life in rural counties was so often ignored by the last government.
"Everyone who gets water from a private spring or well knows that care is needed but often the water is perfectly safe to drink. But everyone on spring water tolerates the risks and accepts their individual responsibility."
ENDS
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