Key Health Data for the West Midlands 2000

Chapter 5: Environment and Health

Contacts

Preface

Contents

List of Tables
List of Figures

Abbreviations

Main Body

1: West Midlands Geography
2: Inequalities and Health
3: The Burden of Disease
4: Communicable Disease
5: Environment and Health
6: Progress on Targets set by "Our Healthier Nation"
7: Crime and Health
8: Drug Misuse

5.1 Private Water Supplies

5.1.1 Introduction

Private water supplies are defined as any supplies of water provided otherwise than by a statutorily appointed water undertaker (essentially the water companies such as Severn Trent or Welsh Water)¹. There are about 50,000 private supplies in England and Wales (over 3,000 supplies in the West Midlands region) supplying about a third of a million people with water for domestic purposes¹. While the volume of water provided by private supplies is around 1/100^th of that provided by the public supplies and many private supplies serve single dwellings, considerable numbers of people will also consume private supplies used for food production purposes such as brewing, or for supplying places such as hospitals, hotels, schools or campsites.

Although there are some private supplies in urban areas, most private supplies are situated in the more remote rural parts of the region (Figure 5.1).

The Private Water Supplies Regulations 1991 require local authorities (LAs) to take and analyse samples in order to protect public health.

Figure 5.1 Distribution of private water supplies in the region

5.1.2 Types of Private Water Supply and the Health Risk

Private supplies may be derived from underground sources such as springs, boreholes and deep wells or surface sources such as streams and lakes. The latter tend to be poorer quality as water that runs across land into streams, rivers and lakes will pick up contamination from the soil and animal droppings. Water supplies drawn from farmed land where animals graze or where manure is spread are at most risk. The risk is particularly high at times of heavy rainfall and releases from cesspits or septic tanks are another potential source of contamination. Consequently, there are risks of Cryptosporidium associated with private water supplies that do not apply to mains water such as the proximity of young farm animals, inadequate protection of sources and the absence or inadequacy of treatment. The risk for those that do not drink the water regularly, such as visitors and guests, is likely to be greater.

Private water supplies may also be affected by chemicals used in farming or forestry, (e.g. nitrate and sheep-dip chemicals and other pesticides). Many private water supplies in England and Wales are naturally acidic and may dissolve lead. If the water supply passes through a lead tank or pipes, it is likely there will be a significant amount of dissolved lead in the water.

5.1.3 Standards

LAs have the responsibility to monitor private supplies although the sampling frequency and parameters tested for are far less extensive than those for public supplies.

LA sampling may be once every year, once every five years or less. In addition many local authorities do not choose appropriate sampling times. When asked in 1994, 64 per cent were not aware of the seasonal variations in private supply water quality². In addition LAs are often unable to have a flexible sampling regime due to the requirements of the laboratories they use.

Legislation does not require private water supplies to be monitored for Cryptosporidium. The presence of a single faecal indicator organism (faecal coliforms) is used to alert local authorities to the possible contamination by pathogens. However, Cryptosporidium may actually be isolated in water where the coliform population has become inactive.

5.2 Noise and Nuisance

5.2.1 Introduction

Nuisance means different things to different people and is a highly subjective concept. A level of noise perfectly acceptable to one person may be regarded as a nuisance by another. LAs have responsibilities for the surveillance, prevention and control of nuisances. Nuisance in this sense is a legal concept that while is not capable of a statutory definition, includes things that are 'prejudicial to health' or are interferences with enjoyment of property. Typically LAs will have to respond to complaints about noise, odour, animals, litter and rubbish dumping and while these can seem to be relatively trivial they have profound effects upon community and individual anxieties and a number of studies have demonstrated an effect of perceived nuisance on health.^3,4,5,6

5.2.2 Local Authority Data

Nuisance is an important barometer of community health. Dissatisfaction with the general environment or anti-social behaviour can be a powerful determinant of well being. Data on complaints can help identify key local concerns, provide an early warning system for potential issues and help monitor trends. They can also help to compare different LAs strategies for dealing with nuisance.

The data available from LAs will vary depending on how the department manages its resources. Some LAs have very well developed performance management systems which produce high quality and extensive data while others have less sophisticated systems. The number of complaints received on particular issues is a simple and useful indicator but will include unwarranted complaints. LAs have a duty to serve a notice when satisfied a statutory nuisance exists and this information may be available. However, some real nuisances may actually be resolved informally and some, while not constituting statutory nuisances, may well represent a real nuisance to the complainant. Consequently we have chosen to map general public health and noise nuisance complaints and Figures 5.2 and 5.3 shows the distribution of complaint rates by ward (where possible) across the region.

Most LAs have been willing to contribute data (only ²/₃₄ refused) although several were unable to provide information at ward level. Most of the latter are keen to upgrade their IT system to enable this exchange in the future. There are still issues about the consistency of the data given the subjective nature of nuisance but the level of community dissatisfaction with their environment is an important issue for both LAs and HAs.

The maps show that the rate of public health complaint varies from 0.1 to 166 complaints per 1000 population and noise complaints from 0 to 52 complaints per 1000. While some urban areas have very high levels of nuisance complaints (e.g. central Birmingham), there are also high levels in some rural areas such as East Staffordshire. There may be obvious reasons for these differences or more subtle influences such as population sensitivity. However, these differences as well as the extreme rates need to be investigated.

Figure 5.2 Noise complaints per 1000 population in 7 of the West Midlands local authorities

Figure 5.3 Nuisance complaints per 1000 population in 7 of the West Midlands local authorities

References

1. http://www.dwi.gov.uk/pubs/annrep99/12.htm, April 2001.
2. Clapham D, Petrie S. Local Authorities' Response to Private Water Supply Regulations. Environmental Health 1994; 102: 142-4.
3. Baker D, Greenland S, Mendlein J, Harmon P. A health study of two communities near the Stringfellow waste disposal site. Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health 1988; 43: 325-334.
4. Fowle S, Constantine C, Fone D, McCloskey B. An epidemiological study after a water contamination incident near Worcester,England in April 1994. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 1996; 50: 18-23.
5. Shusterman D, Lipscomb J, Neutra R, Satin K. Symptom prevalence and odor-worry interaction near hazardous waste sites. Environmental Health Perspectives 1991 94; 25-30.
6. Watkins G, Tarnopolski A, Jenkins LM. Aircraft noise and mental health: 11 Use of medicine and health care services. Psychological Medicine. 1981; 11: 155-68.

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