Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1349: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if priority will be given and funding provided for a sewerage scheme at Drinagh in west Cork; and if he will give a full and up to date report on the project which has been ongoing for many years. [24634/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Drinagh sewerage scheme was 41 in the list of water and sewerage schemes for its western division submitted by Cork County Council in response to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's request to all local authorities in 2003 to undertake fresh assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The assessments were taken into account in the framing of the water services investment programme 2004 to 2006 published in May 2004. Given the rating afforded to the scheme by the council, it was not possible to include it in the current programme.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 1350: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount of water on a county basis which is lost through leaking local authority pipes. [24642/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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While local authorities are responsible for the operation and maintenance of public water supply systems, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has undertaken a number of initiatives over the years to assist authorities to optimise the management, quality and efficiency of such systems. In 1996, following publication of the greater Dublin water supply strategic study, a new stream of capital funding was introduced to help reduce unaccounted for water levels in local authority distribution networks, to improve the quality of supply to consumers, to lower operating costs and to maximise the value of investment in capital works.

A series of pilot schemes to identify potential improvements, as well as some physical work on network rehabilitation, was undertaken as a first measure. Project locations included Dublin, Cork, Galway, Waterford, Limerick, Athlone and Clonmel. All of these schemes have now been completed with the aid of capital funding of €63 million from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The results show that unaccounted for water rates have reduced considerably. For example, in Dublin they have fallen from 42.5% to 28.7%, in Donegal from 59% to 39%, in Meath from 47% to 34% and in Kilkenny from 45% to 29%.

The results of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's later national water study, which involved an audit of all public water supplies outside the greater Dublin area serving more than 5,000 consumers, were published in March 2000. The national water study examined 91 water supply schemes operated by some 38 local authorities and reported on all aspects of water supply including, availability of raw water, treatment capacity, water distribution systems and associated management issues. The study found, inter alia, that unaccounted for water levels varied significantly between regions but were generally in the range of between 40% to 50%. The study report is available in the Oireachtas Library.

The national water study, along with the earlier greater Dublin water supply strategic study, has provided a reliable basis for the evaluation of investment requirements in the water supply sector. In May 2003 the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government allocated a further €276 million to local authorities to identify and substantially reduce unaccounted for water in public supply networks. The bulk of the allocation, €194 million, was provided for network rehabilitation or replacement works by authorities that had carried out water management system studies under the earlier pilot phase. The balance of €82 million will enable the remaining authorities to proceed with water management system studies as a necessary precursor to structural rehabilitation works. Details of allocations to individual authorities are set out in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006 which is also available in the Oireachtas Library.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 1351: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if Westmeath County Council have submitted plans on the provision of a sewerage treatment plant at Rathowen, County Westmeath; if these plans and reports have been sanctioned; the date of such sanction; the estimated cost of the scheme; if funds have been allocated and the likely commencement date. [24665/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1353: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when funding will be provided for the Rathowen sewerage scheme in County Westmeath; when this sewerage scheme will commence; and when a contractor will be appointed. [24743/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 1397: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when the Rathowen, County Westmeath, sewerage scheme will be completed; the estimated cost of these works; and the number of households which will be connected to the scheme. [25275/05]

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 1401: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when final approval and the appropriate financial allocation will be given to Westmeath County Council to proceed with the sewerage infrastructural scheme for the village of Rathowen, County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25410/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1351, 1353, 1397 and 1401 together.

The Rathowen sewerage scheme, estimated to cost some €1.23 million, is included in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006 as a scheme to complete planning. Westmeath County Council's preliminary report for the scheme is under examination in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government following recent receipt of the water services pricing policy report which identifies the proportion of the capital cost required to be funded by the non-domestic sector. Following approval of the preliminary report, the council will be in a position to prepare contract documents for the scheme. Detailed information relating to potential household connections to the scheme may appropriately be sought from Westmeath County Council.