John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I respond on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Burncourt and Fethard regional water supply scheme is included in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's water services investment programme 2007 to 2009. The proposed scheme is intended to boost the water supply in the south east and west of the county and resolve the water quality issues of the present supply. It would involve upgrading and extending the existing supply, including the provision of new treatment plants, storage and network improvements, at an estimated cost of €14.5 million. The Department approved South Tipperary County Council's design proposals for the scheme last December.

The council is proceeding with the detailed planning of the scheme. As part of this process, the council requires a new abstraction order. The current abstraction rate is almost four times the volume permitted under the existing licence. In addition, the council proposes to relocate the abstraction point further downstream from its present location. Accordingly, a new licence is required before the council can proceed with the treatment plant element of the scheme.

The public consultation procedure in respect of the abstraction order for the scheme is well advanced. The council has advised the Department that the timeline for the delivery of the scheme is dependent on the abstraction licence process.

I am well aware of the interest of Deputy McGrath in this matter and I inform him that the Minister, Deputy Gormley, is also aware that there have been water quality issues associated with the Skeheenarinky section of the Burncourt supply. The day-to-day management and operation of public water supply infrastructure is a matter for the local authority concerned, in this instance South Tipperary County Council. A rigorous statutory supervisory framework is in place under the drinking water regulations, whereby local authorities are obliged to ensure that any failure to meet quality standards in a water supply is investigated immediately to determine the cause. The authority is required to consult with the HSE and, in the case of public supplies, with the EPA to determine whether there is a potential danger to human health, and, if there is, to agree the appropriate action, including the prompt notification of consumers.

South Tipperary County Council has taken the necessary steps, following consultation with the HSE and the EPA, under this supervisory framework to tackle the water quality issues. The council's water monitoring regime worked successfully in this instance and the recent contaminations were discovered quickly and action by the council has prevented any public health issues that might have arisen. I understand that the council will meet the HSE shortly to agree the criteria for lifting the boil water notice that has been in place since the contaminations were discovered in September. The council has also confirmed to the Department that all recent monitoring results for water quality on the supply meet the drinking water standards but that investigation into the causes of the contamination is still ongoing. The council is also taking other measures to protect the source and will provide ongoing monitoring and assess the feasibility of upgrading treatment to ensure water quality pending delivery of the regional scheme.

In so far as the next phase of the water services investment programme is concerned, local authorities were asked in July to submit an assessment of needs for water and sewerage services to the Department by 23 October last. The Department has commenced consideration of these assessments, which will form a key input to the development of the 2010 to 2012 water services investment programme. In conducting their assessments, local authorities were asked to prioritise schemes and contracts for progression. It is anticipated that the water services investment programme 2010 to 2012 will be published early next year. I advise Deputy McGrath of the Minister's recognition of his continued interest in promoting this scheme.

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