John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

Some €1.6 billion has been invested by the Government in drinking water infrastructure in the period since 2000 and substantial additional funding is being provided this year from the total Exchequer provision of €500 million for the water services investment programme. In the period since 2000, additional drinking water treatment capacity and additional water storage capacity equivalent to the needs of a population of 855,000 and 1.5 million, respectively, has been provided. A review of the water services investment programme is being undertaken this year to ensure that investment continues to be targeted at priority works. A value for money study on the programme will be also completed this year.

Under the European Communities (Drinking Water) (No. 2) Regulations 2007, water services authority drinking water supplies are subject to supervision by the EPA. Additional resources have been provided to the agency to back up its new enforcement powers. Under these regulations, water services authorities are obliged to ensure that any failure to meet quality standards in a water supply is investigated immediately to determine the cause. My Department has been also working closely with water services authorities, which are generally responsible for the management of public drinking water supplies, and the EPA to ensure that the management structures for the supply of drinking water are of the highest standard.

The recently published report, The Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland - A Report for the Years 2007 and 2008, shows that overall the quality of our drinking water is good and that further progress has been made in improving quality in recent years. The report indicates that the number of detections of e.coli in 2007 was down compared with 2006. To ensure the effectiveness of the disinfection procedures required to remove e.coli from water supplies, the agency has recommended the installation of chlorine monitors and alarms on all water supplies. My Department has been working intensively with local authorities in recent months to ensure that all public and group water supplies are equipped with monitors and alarms. I understand that good progress has been made and the remaining supplies will be equipped in the coming months.

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