Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this Topical Issue matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly. I thank the Deputy for providing me with an opportunity to outline the current status of water services in Williamstown and the plans to address the issue that has led to a boil water notice.

Modern water and wastewater services infrastructure is vital to this country. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water service planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels, including the delivery of water service capital infrastructure. Irish Water has been established to take a national approach and raise greater investment to address weaknesses in the water system, including high leakage rates, varying quality standards, such as at Williamstown, and disruptions to supply. Addressing the problems of water supply schemes where boil water notices are in place is a key priority for Irish Water. The position specifically in Williamstown is that the existing water treatment plant cannot cope with seasonal changes in raw water quality.

Irish Water has advised me that it has a constant programme of water quality testing, and this identified a potential risk with the Williamstown water treatment plant. Owing to the poor-quality raw water in the Williamstown area, there is a risk to the water supply during certain weather events. For this reason, a boil water notice has been imposed.

Within 48 hours of the imposition of the boil water notice in Williamstown, Irish Water had identified a technical solution. This solution involves the construction of a major pipeline that will extend the Lough Mask scheme from Ballyhaunis in County Mayo to Williamstown. This is a significant project and is due for completion by the end of 2016.

Lough Mask regional water supply scheme in Mayo has the strategic capacity to provide a long-term sustainable public water supply to the entire area. Lough Mask currently serves 20,000 people, and currently it has spare capacity of 7,000 cu. m, with plans to increase this. The short-term option being considered for Williamstown includes the urgent advancement of a pipeline extension from Lough Mask to Williamstown. This would be the first phase of a significant expansion of the Lough Mask regional water supply scheme, ultimately providing the long-term solution to both Williamstown and also Castlerea and its hinterland in Roscommon. Irish Water is satisfied that the Lough Mask scheme will make full provision for present and future needs in the supply area, including the planned extension.

I wish to mention the position regarding water charges for households, which commenced on 1 January. It is important to note that where a boil water notice is in place or where customers are subject to a drinking water restriction notice, affected customers will receive a 100% discount to the water supply element of their water charges bill for the duration of the restriction.

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