Lead Pollution In Drinking Water

EDM number 622 in 1992-93, proposed by Nick Harvey on 22/10/1992.

That this House notes the recent advice from the World Health Organisation that lead levels in drinking water above 10 micrograms of lead per litre of water are harmful to human health; further notes that a 1989 Ministry of Agriculture report accepted that bottle-fed babies are particularly vulnerable to excess lead in drinking water since 90 per cent. of their dietary intake is water; is alarmed by the levels of lead in many areas of England and Wales, including the three quarters of water supply zones which exceeded 10 micrograms per litre in 1991; calls upon the Secretaries of State for Environment, Health and Social Security to expand the grants programme for replacement of lead piping in people's homes; and urges the Secretary of State for the Environment to recognise the urgency of the problem by cutting the amount of pollution needed to qualify for a grant to the World Health Organisation recommendation of 10 micrograms per litre rather than the current level of 50 micrograms per litre.

This motion has been signed by a total of 30 MPs.