Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 819: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the processes that are in place to stop water pollution in Meath's rivers and lakes; the new measures that will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26298/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Primary responsibility among public authorities for the protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities, in this case Meath County Council. My Department in conjunction with the EPA, local authorities and other agencies is also pursuing a comprehensive range of measures to protect and improve water quality generally in the context of implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, the Nitrates Directive and related EU legislation.

The Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations 1998 provide for achievement of prescribed water quality standards in rivers and lakes based on phosphorus concentrations or related water quality classifications. The Regulations require that local authorities and the EPA take all such steps as may be appropriate to secure compliance by 2007 with the prescribed standards.

Under the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003, local authorities are required to take a coordinated approach to water management in respect of whole river basins with a view to preventing any deterioration in the existing status of any waters and achieving at least "good status" in relation to all waters by 2015. In this regard the river basin district projects, led by local authorities and funded by my Department, play a key role. Local authorities are required to bring forward by 2008 proposals for River Basin Management Plans, including comprehensive programmes of measures, to achieve the environmental objectives laid down by the Water Framework Directive.

Details of the wastewater infrastructure schemes currently in progress and planned for County Meath are contained in the Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007, a copy of which is in the Oireachtas Library. All local authorities have been asked by my Department to produce new assessments of their needs for water services infrastructure and to submit the results to the Department by 31 July 2006. This affords Meath County Council an opportunity to identify any additional infrastructural needs in its area as an input to future phases of the Water Services Investment Programme.