Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The old adage that you do not miss the water until the well runs dry is apt when we come to talk about Ireland's most valuable and sometimes under-appreciated resource, namely, water. I spent 25 years as secretary to the largest group water scheme in my county. I pay tribute to the many group water scheme committees that have worked might and main on a voluntary basis to improve the lot of their communities in providing water to villages, businesses, farms and households. The source of the water for many of the group schemes has consisted of lake extraction, river extraction and aquifers. Many of those sources have endured massive pressures following the expansion and development of industry, the proliferation of septic tanks and, often, local authority mismanagement of sewerage plants. In addition, during the boom times, local authorities allowed private group sewerage schemes to service many housing developments that are not being managed by anyone at present. Many of the voluntary committees, through no fault of their own, often fall foul of trying to meet quality standards under the EU Water Framework Directive. Algal bloom on lakes at certain times of the year causes significant problems. Group water schemes also deal with farm run-off, nitrates, not to mention the unscrupulous illegal dumping that has happened on many occasions both of domestic waste and diesel sludge from diesel laundering plants in my county.

A commitment was given in both the programme for Government and the confidence and supply agreement that rural dwellers would not be at a serious disadvantage and that charging and costs would be spread evenly across the country, whether the water was provided by Irish Water, or through group water schemes. Approximately 6% of the population get their drinking water from group water schemes. Of those, 11% of households or approximately 170,000 households operate from private wells. We know from the EPA that approximately 30% of household wells are contaminated with E. coli.

All other households and premises get water through an Irish Water connection as well.

I wish to draw the attention of the Minister to one point Deputy Aylward has raised. There is a commitment that Irish Water would have a flat charge of €5,600 for every water connection in future. I know of instances of people being charged €18,000 for a simple water connection. That needs to be brought in immediately rather than being put on the back-burner by Irish Water.

We need to talk about equity. It is unfair that time and again rural communities are subjected to boil water notices whereas households with public supply seldom have such inconvenience. This is relevant for people living in the countryside with no public water passing within a short distance of the home and where the house has never been connected to a group water scheme. The issue of grants for wells and the upgrading of wells needs to be enhanced and increased.

Average water use per person is 55,000 l per year. Good quality fresh water is a vital resource. More Exchequer funding is needed for improvements to group water schemes and group sewerage schemes to upgrade the infrastructure especially in rural Ireland.

I will conclude with an Irish acronym created by children in a school where I taught many years ago. It spelled the word "uisce". The children put it in an Irish phrase: "Uisce inár saol, cosain é". This translates as: "Water in our environment – we need to protect it".

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