Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this issue which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

I welcome the announcement today by Dublin City Council that the recent nightly restrictions on the supply of water are being lifted. I also welcome the news that production levels at the water treatment plant in Ballymore Eustace have been substantially restored to normal levels. The recent restrictions have, undoubtedly, caused difficulties for people across the Dublin region and a return to normal service will be welcomed by all. I concur with Deputy Kevin Humphreys on the long lead-in time for water projects. Something that was intended to come on stream now would have needed to be planned during the time when Deputy Barry Cowen's party was in charge.

Matters relating to the operation, maintenance and management of the water supply systems in the Dublin region are ones for the relevant water services authorities under the general supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency. In the case of the Ballymore Eustace water treatment plant, Dublin City Council is the responsible authority. Following notification by the council of the problems at the Ballymore Eustace water treatment plant, my Department was in constant contact with the council to see how the problems could be solved as expeditiously as possible to ensure full resumption of water supplies in the Dublin region without undue delay. The Minister received a number of briefings on the matter from the city manager and earlier this week he visited the Ballymore Eustace plant to see at first hand the work that was being carried out to fully restore supplies. Production at the plant stabilised late last week and over last weekend. It has been improving each day since to the point where restrictions can now be lifted. The council has advised that production levels at the plant and storage levels in the region will continue to be closely monitored.

Funding under my Department's water services investment programme has been and continues to be invested in improvements to both the water supply network and treatment capacity within the greater Dublin area. In recent years new well fields in north east Kildare have been brought on stream and the new water treatment works at Srowland, near Athy, has commenced production. Investment is continuing in the upgrade of the Ballymore Eustace plant and at the Leixlip water treatment plant. Work at these plants has brought additional capacity into the system and further additional supplies will be available when work is completed at both locations during 2014. In addition, there is a substantial programme of works in train as part of the Dublin region water mains rehabilitation project. Significant water savings have been made and additional savings are anticipated as this work continues.

My Department's water services investment programme also contains numerous schemes and contracts to upgrade other water supply schemes in Leinster. Water service authorities throughout the province are, like the Dublin authorities, progressing these as expeditiously as possible. When Irish Water becomes responsible for the investment programme in 2014, it will continue the work of improving the infrastructure on an ongoing basis. There will be continuity in the transfer of the investment programme to Irish Water and it will commence an initial two year programme of works covering the period 2014-15. Thereafter, Irish Water will embark on a new cycle of investment programmes of longer duration, having due regard to economic needs and environmental compliance in all areas of the country.

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