Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 4: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has received reports into the level of water contamination, particularly lead contamination; the amount of finance required to upgrade water systems to meet Environmental Protection Agency standards, including future EU standards for lead levels in water; the action he will take to protect public health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36816/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The EPA's reports on the quality of drinking water set out compliance levels across a range of parametric values, including lead. The most recent report for the years 2006 and 2007 is available in the Oireachtas Library.

Management of public drinking water supplies to ensure compliance with water quality standards is the responsibility of each local authority. I have put in place a rigorous supervisory framework to ensure good quality drinking water is available, and effective mechanisms exist to deal quickly and effectively with problems where they arise. Under the European Communities (Drinking Water) (No. 2) Regulations 2007, local authority drinking water supplies are subject to supervision by the EPA. I have given the agency the necessary resources to back up its new enforcement powers.

Each local authority is legally required to ensure that any failure to meet quality standards in its water supplies is investigated immediately to determine the cause. The authority is also obliged to inform the EPA promptly and to consult with the Health Service Executive, HSE. Where incidences of contamination occur the EPA can issue such directions to the local authority as necessary to prevent or remove any health risk. Failure to comply with such a direction is an indictable offence and subject to heavy penalties.

I understand the EPA is liaising with the HSE and the relevant local authority in regard to all reported lead exceedances. Where exceedances have been reported, the EPA has requested the local authority, inter alia , to clarify the ownership and composition of the service pipe, provide details of the short-term and long-term measures to deal with the exceedance, provide details of advice from the HSE and clarify whether the owner of the premises has been given appropriate advice.

A record provision of €560 million, an increase of 19% over 2008, will be available for water services investment in 2009. This is the clearest possible statement by the Government of the priority given to ensuring that water and waste water treatment schemes comply with the highest standards.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The current maximum level for lead in water is 25 micrograms per litre, with a reduction in this figure to ten micrograms per litre by 2013. In view of the various instances of lead contamination of the water supply throughout the State and notwithstanding the welcome increase of 19% in provision for water services investment, is the Minister satisfied he will have sufficient resources to ensure we meet our requirements by 2013 and that we will not end up dealing with this matter in the usual way, by paying fines to the European Commission?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am confident that the record investment of €560 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 19%, in water services and infrastructure will allow us to make the necessary progress. The national development plan includes the objective of ensuring that "good quality drinking water is available to all consumers of public and group water supplies in compliance with national and EU drinking water standards, including any infrastructural improvements required to meet the 2013 parameter for the presence of lead in drinking water". Against the backdrop of the most difficult budgetary situation in decades, we have provided a record provision for water services and infrastructure. The Department is providing substantial funding of €288 million towards local authorities' water conservation programmes. It is open to each authority to prioritise any necessary pipe replacement works under these programmes in order to eliminate lead piping in the public water supply and deal with current and future lead standards.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The EPA's report on drinking water published last January indicated that 339 schemes out of a total of 994 are contaminated. The Minister will require substantial resources to rectify this problem. Will he engage with the local authorities in regard to the manner in which schemes are approved and, where the money is allocated, the length of time it takes before a waste water treatment system or water scheme is rolled out? It currently takes some four and a half years with the toing and froing that goes on in regard to design, detailed design and so on. Has the Minister any plans to expedite the process by which this money is drawn down so that work can get under way as quickly as possible?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I assure the Deputy that we have tried to telescope the timeframe involved by significantly reducing the number of criteria. I have spoken to the local authorities about this issue. Whereas cuts have been made in other areas, I was anxious that we continue and increase the investment in the water services programme. Were the impetus to be lost in terms of investment, the programme could be set back considerably. I am satisfied that the programme of investment in drinking water infrastructure and waste water treatment plants will continue.