David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for attending. It is a pity the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Ministers of State at that Department cannot be here but I know they have been on their feet all day. There is a major problem affecting water supply for 10,000 people in east Cork and impacting on areas south-east of Midleton such as Ballinacurra, Cloyne, Aghada, Ballycotton, Churchtown, Trabolgan and all of the rural areas inbetween. The problem has been there since early January 2016, which is almost seven years ago. It has resulted in boil water notices being put in place for varying periods of between two weeks and a number of months every year since 2016, sometimes more than three times in the same year.

The most recent boil water notice was issued on 29 October 2022 and remains in place two months later. This means people either have to boil water, at alarming cost, or else bear the cost of purchasing water in plastic bottles, which adds to the overuse of single-use plastic, which we are all trying to avoid. The Minister of State will appreciate this is adding to household costs in a major way, as well as the disruption it causes to households. I understand that on 30 November last Irish Water confirmed it was examining tankering water into the area, although I have not seen that happen yet. This water will still have to be boiled for use, so there is little advantage.

To be fair to Irish Water, as far back as October 2016 it put in a new filtration system with two microfiltration units, and a UV disinfection unit has been installed at a cost of over €1 million. New shuttering controls were also put in place to prevent any inadequately treated water from entering the water supply. However, the fact quite a number of boil water notices have issued since 2016 indicates the spending of that €1 million has not worked. The most recent information from the Irish Water website talks about further works taking place involving the major upgrade of the water treatment plant, for which land has been acquired, and a contractor has been appointed to undertake design and construction. However, full planning permission will be required and the project is currently at detailed design phase. Irish Water is targeting early 2023 for the submission of planning and is anticipating the construction might commence in 2024, so, all going well, we might have a solution by 2025, if we are lucky.

Irish Water told me that despite the cost involved to families, there is no way that it is allowed to compensate families, although businesses are entitled to a discount on bills which is applied automatically. Really and truly, we should look at some way of compensating families.

Another issue that has arisen recently is the notification that Irish Water gives to households. I had a call from a woman today who moved into the area a number of months ago and was unaware of the boil water notice, and both herself and her child were drinking the tap water after that time. This raises questions about how the public, households and families are notified about the putting in place of a boil water notice. I contend that, at the very least, posters, like those we use at election time, should be erected in the geographical areas affected. It is not good enough to rely on newspapers and social media to alert people. This is serious because people can become ill if they are not notified properly. They should also be notified when the notice is taken down because, otherwise, it can become confusing.

I want the Minister to act in four areas. First, he needs to deal with the costs to householders. The Minister knows it costs almost €1.30 to purchase 5 l of water and almost 10 cent each time a full kettle of water is boiled. We can imagine how much people would use in a day for drinking. Second, I want the Minister to direct Irish Water to ensure people are reminded on a regular basis of the boil water notice, and these updates should preferably include the erecting of posters in the area concerned. Third, I want the Minister to engage with Irish Water to see if anything can be done to have the problem rectified before the end of 2025. Fourth, other public representatives, such as councillors in the area, would like to engage with Irish Water, which I understand has so far refused to do so. Irish Water should present itself to the local municipal district meetings and explain to the councillors exactly what is going on and what it plans to do to rectify this.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the Whitegate boil water notice issue. I apologise that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is not present, and I am dealing with this matter on his behalf. The issue of safe drinking water has both national and local importance and I appreciate the Deputy's concern for those communities affected.

I understand from inquiries made with Irish Water that the boil water notice currently in place for the Whitegate public water supply was issued on 29 October 2022 following consultation between Irish Water, Cork County Council and the Health Service Executive. This boil water notice was issued to protect approximately 9,500 customers in Whitegate, Aghada, Churchtown, Ballycotton, Saleen, Shanagarry, Ballinacurra and areas of Cloyne. The notice was issued as a result of increased turbidity in the raw water, which can happen at this source as it is susceptible to raw water quality issues after rainfall events. Boil water notices have been issued on Whitegate public water supply a number of times over the past few years. The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of Whitegate public water supply is a matter for Irish Water, which has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. I would have thought Irish Water would also have a responsibility for the health and well-being of the people in the community.

I understand that, in the short term, upgrade works to filters are under way and additional parts are on order, with delivery expected by the end of December. Following the implementation of these measures, the HSE will be asked to confirm that the criteria for lifting the boil water notice are met. In the longer term, the delivery of a new water treatment plant as the permanent solution to issues at Whitegate is under way and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Irish Water has a strong customer service focus through its water charges plan and customer charter, which outlines the standard of service customers should expect to receive. The water charges plan sets out a compensation mechanism when water quality is compromised and unfit for human consumption, such as when boil water and drinking water restriction notices apply. Business customers who pay charges are entitled to a rebate under the customer handbook, as agreed with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Adjustments are made via the customers' bills.

This only applies to water used for drinking. Implementation of a water charges plan is a matter, in the first instance, for Irish Water. Any issue which cannot be resolved by Irish Water to the satisfaction of the customers can be referred under the formal complaints process for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. The Minister said that it is a priority to ensure that people's health is protected and that adequate water is available for all customers. We all want to see the notice lifted without undue delay.

I also take on board exactly what the Deputy laid out as the four key priorities. One is in respect of the cost to households which I will relay back to the Minister. The other is on the communication. For families who may have been away on holidays, or people moving into the area for the first time, not knowing about these issues can put themselves at risk. The Minister will engage with Irish Water on this as a priority because of the health and safety issues here.

Finally, as public representatives at a local and municipal area levels, the very minimum we would expect from Irish Water is that it would come before the local municipal authority and be accountable to the people who are accountable to the public.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response and for her usual honesty and straightforwardness in dealing with this issue. I will give the Minister of State some idea of what is happening here. On 1 February 2021, a boil water notice was issued. On 12 March, it was lifted. On 28 October 2021, it was issued again. On 5 November, it was lifted and on Christmas Day 2021, a boil water notice was issued. On 3 June 2022, it was lifted and was again then issued on 29 October this year and is still in place.

Trying to keep track of all of that and whether or not it is in place is quite difficult for the public as they have other things to be doing. It is quite a challenge to inform people on how this is done. The Minister of State is quite right in that if people are away on holiday or if they move into the area, how are these people to know that a boil water notice is in place? If there are people who are vulnerable, who have health issues, or babies or small children, and if they drink this water, which the HSE tells us may be unsafe, then people’s health is at risk. The Minister of State’s final point there is that she wishes to see the notice lifted without undue delay, which we all want, but only when the HSE and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, confirm that the water supply is safe. If people do not know they should boil water and drink the water out of the tap that is not guaranteed to be safe for them, that is very serious.

I ask that the Minister of State convey back to the senior Minister, Deputy O’Brien, that we need to instruct Irish Water and the HSE to erect posters in the area when a boil water notice is in place and to take them down when it is lifted. If they leave them up, they will lose their effectiveness. Otherwise, people will not know. I cannot think of any other way of this happening, but perhaps the Minister of State can. People should also be compensated for the very significant cost they are incurring and the inconvenience of having to do this, which is also quite a worry. On top of that the Minister should ensure that Irish Water engages with public representatives on this. In the past, Irish Water used to have a clinic in this House, where it used to come in and we would meet the company officials face-to-face. Perhaps the senior Minister should put that back in place where we could meet the officials and talk to them. That might be something Irish Water might do. I cannot understand why it is going to take until the end of 2025 to get this done given that it is going on since 2016.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy again. I appreciate his interest in this matter and I understand his frustration. I acknowledge the patience and the co-operation of the residents and businesses in the Whitegate area who have been affected. This is 9,500 people over prolonged periods of time. The Government’s priority is to ensure that people’s health is protected and that adequate water is available for all consumers. We all want to see the notice lifted without undue delay but only when the HSE and the EPA have confirmed that water supply is safe. Both our water and wastewater systems require substantial sustained investment over a number of investment cycles to bring the system up to the quality and resilience standards required of modern services, to provide for population growth, and to build resilience in the face of climate change.

As part of budget 2023, the Minister secured, as I said earlier, funding of €1.65 billion to support water services. The overall investment will deliver significant improvements in the public water and wastewater services and will support improved water supplies right across Ireland, including rural Ireland. It supports a range of programmes delivering improved water quality in our rivers, lakes, and marine areas. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representatives’ queries.

The Deputy makes some very valuable suggestions there on Irish Water in re-engaging with public representatives. I remember a time when Irish Water came into the House. These were some of the best clinics ever held in this House because we had a list - no matter whether it was in Deputy Stanton’s area, in my area or in Deputy Martin Kenny’s area - of constituents who were affected and impacted by such issues. When it is the health, safety and well-being of people, particularly in the area of Deputy Stanton where there are 9,500 people, I believe the Deputy’s ask in respect of clear communication and signage is completely valid. I acknowledge the issue of climate change but if Irish Water wants to use the back of our election posters to put up the notices, we can do that too.