Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government who regrets that he cannot be present.

The Minister is very disappointed that this problem should be visited on the people of Galway who went through a very difficult summer in 2007 with cryptosporidium in their public water supply. He is conscious of the difficulties and inconvenience suffered again by some residents. It is a great worry for people and must be solved without delay.

The Minister's understanding is that the lead excess is likely to have been caused by lead leaching into drinking water from old lead water pipes serving certain limited areas of the city, mostly in older housing estates. It is important to stress that the water leaving the treatment works does not contain lead.

Galway City Council has confirmed that its priorities are to identify the areas affected by intensive lead sampling, introduce additional water treatment that would eliminate the leaching effect from old lead pipes and implement permanent pipe replacement measures, as required and as quickly as possible. As a short-term temporary step, standpipes are being erected in the Old Mervue area to provide an alternative potable water supply.

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