Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Bradford for raising this Adjournment matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, who I understand is speaking in the Dáil on the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill at present.

The Minister regrets this issue has arisen with a small number of public water supplies, namely, 23 out of a total of 944. However, he understands the concerns of those directly affected and trusts the problems will be resolved quickly by the local authorities involved. In the meantime, it is important for the local authorities, working with the Health Service Executive, HSE, to ensure that all consumers have up-to-date and accurate advice and information regarding their water supplies.

The Minister has put in place a rigorous supervisory framework to ensure good quality drinking water is a primary goal for county and city councils and that effective mechanisms exist to deal quickly and effectively with problems where they arise. Local authority drinking water supplies now are subject to supervision by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the agency has been given the necessary resources to follow through with its new enforcement powers. Each local authority now is required to ensure that any failure to meet quality standards in its water supplies is investigated immediately to determine the cause. The authority also is obliged to inform the EPA promptly and to consult with the Health Service Executive.

Since March 2007, the EPA has been notified of lead exceedences in 23 of the 944 public water supplies. In four of these cases, namely, Galway city, Bruff, County Limerick, Ballintra, County Donegal and Mallow, County Cork, the HSE has recommended that health advisory restrictions be notified to consumers. 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.

Under the EPA's published guidance, where non-compliance is caused by the interaction of water with a local authority's pipework and fittings, the authority is required to take action to secure restoration of water quality either by replacing the affected pipework or by providing additional treatment to prevent or remediate the adverse effect on water quality. With regard to Mallow, the Minister understands Cork County Council has indicated the water pipes will be replaced in a street where the water supply contained lead in excess of the limit. Where non-compliance is caused, or contributed to, by a consumer's pipework and fittings, the local authority is required to advise the consumers on action they can take to reduce exposure to the hazard.

The Minister, Deputy Gormley, is satisfied there are effective arrangements in place, both to detect problems with drinking water supplies as they arise and to ensure that prompt and effective remedial action is taken. Less than 1% of water supply samples have shown lead to be present in excess of the current standard. It is essential that this small number of cases, and any other similar instances that may emerge in the future, are dealt with urgently and effectively and the Minister hopes the comprehensive framework now in place will ensure this happens.