Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue, and I commend the people of Williamstown for raising it and bringing it to the attention of the national and local media in a very professional way. The matter was summed up very well by a headline in The Irish Timeson 5 January: "Galway Community may face two years on boil water notice". The article refers to "a contaminated water supply in Co Galway which could affect about 1,000 people for two years." The powers that be have a considerable responsibility to find a quick solution to the contamination of the water supply in Williamstown, County Galway. The contaminant is cryptosporidium, which was in the Galway city water supply some years ago.

This boil water notice is supposed to be dealt with by brining water from Lough Mask in County Mayo. I heard the Taoiseach state this in the House. If this happens, it will take two years, although I welcome any development to alleviate the problem.

Local people have been told to boil water before using it for drinking, food preparation and even brushing teeth. Therefore, it is now important that we examine another solution in the meantime. I refer to a local solution, perhaps using the other water treatment plants in the area. There are a number of different water schemes in the area. If access could be gained to their water temporarily, it would deal with the difficulties that have to be addressed. I hope this will happen. It is felt that Irish Water's proposal to bring water from Lough Mask is a long-term option. Irish Water has been in contact with the community in Williamstown. I was glad to receive an invitation to meet Irish Water representatives in Williamstown next Friday. The local elected representatives will be able to listen to the proposal.

It is only right that I should put on record the fact that the boil water notice is a very serious issue. InThe Tuam Heraldtoday, a headline reads "Williamstown group to tour contaminated water plant". This is the tour we are talking about. What amazed me was the fact that many people were not told about the boil water notice. One family has spoken about how they all got sick from the water, except for a young girl who had the flu injection because she has a heart condition. The other members of the family were all very ill because they only saw the boil water notice in the general practitioner's surgery. There is certainly a problem with communication, as it transpires that people did not know about the fact that there was contamination of the water.

I was glad to see in The Tuam Heraldthis week that, following the placement of an advertisement in that newspaper, a caretaker will be appointed for the Williamstown and Glenamaddy water schemes. This is most important, because it is very difficult for one caretaker to look after a huge area of north Galway. That the position is now being advertised is very welcome. However, the main point I am raising today is that we need a solution now. We cannot wait for two years for the people in Williamstown to see water coming from Lough Mask in County Mayo to solve their problem.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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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.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I am raising this issue not because of water charges but because people will be subject to a boil water notice for two years. It is very fair to say that when there was cryptosporidium contamination in the Terryland and Lough Corrib areas of Galway, steps were taken to deal with it. However, I cannot understand why it will take to years to deal with a very serious situation. I have given the example of a family whose members have been very ill.

I noted what the Minister of State said about Lough Mask. I heard the Taoiseach himself refer to this when questioned here in the Dáil.

Lough Mask supplies the water to Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, which is 20 km from Williamstown. There is a lot of work to be done to get the water as far as Williamstown. In fairness to the people in that area, there should be an opportunity to provide water for Williamstown in a far shorter time.

I hope I have highlighted the information that Irish Water and the HSE have given on the seriousness of the position. I have told the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, what they have stated water cannot be used for, and it is a major concern. I hope that we will learn more from the officials of Irish Water on Friday when they visit the treatment plant in Williamstown and when they go to Lough Mask to show what is available there.

This is a most serious situation. The Tuam Heraldhighlighted today that the people in Williamstown will get a chance to get more detail on this. I hope Irish Water can give us a more short-term solution.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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Two years is unacceptable.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I again thank Deputy Michael Kitt for raising this extremely serious issue. Addressing boil water notices is a key priority for Irish Water. It has published a capital investment plan for 2014 to 2016 and this is available online on Irish Water's website. The plan includes projects which will address the needs of customers who are subject to boil water notices.

One of the primary reasons Irish Water was established was to provide for an increase in capital investment in the water infrastructure. This increased investment is needed to address the significant deficiencies in the public water infrastructure, to address legacy issues, to invest for the future and to provide for consistent customer service throughout the country. Irish Water needs to invest approximately €600 million every year.

I welcome the work that Irish Water is undertaking to address the situation regarding boil water notices, and the capital investment that is being made will deliver real benefits for the people of the areas affected. I take the point Deputy Kitt raised about the communications and I will pass that on directly to the Minister, Deputy Kelly.