Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the efficacy of an indirect potable reuse schemes for direct discharge to reservoirs as an environment buffer.

Indirect potable reuse (water recycling) uses an environmental buffer before abstracting water into drinking water treatment and supply. This environmental buffer can be a reservoir. There are few schemes in operation currently, but water recycling will play an increasingly important role in meeting future demand.

Water companies planning to utilise water recycling to supplement their raw water are required to ensure that all regulatory requirements in the drinking water quality legislation are met at all times, to ensure that the drinking water supply remains wholesome. The Drinking Water Inspectorate issued guidance for companies on this matter.

Water companies are required to assess the risk of any new raw water sources and review and update their Drinking Water Safety Plans to ensure that these risks have been assessed and mitigations, such as additional treatment, are put in place if required.