Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 824: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the water supply capacity in the greater Dublin area at present (details supplied); the additional water supply schemes which are either under construction, at the planning stages, or awaiting approval from his Department; if the supply capacity in the area is deemed to be sufficient to cater for the current population and for the projected increases in population over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29542/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The current output of the water production plants in the greater Dublin area, including Kildare, Meath and Wicklow, is approximately 560 million litres per day. A range of projects to further expand capacity is being advanced under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2004-2006. These include Kildare Wellfield development, Leixlip water treatment plant extension, Navan water supply scheme, Wicklow town water supply scheme and the expansion of the Ballymore Eustace water treatment plant. The Ballymore Eustace scheme alone will increase capacity by 66 million litres per day. In addition, the programme also includes funding to support the identification of new sources to meet projected demand in the greater Dublin area up to 2031.

Since 1996, over €55 million has been spent on ongoing water conservation works in the region to reduce unaccounted for water and water losses in the distribution system. These measures, taken together, are designed to ensure the availability of adequate water supplies to meet the needs of the greater Dublin area in the medium term.