Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 372: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the procedure taken by the Government to impose buffer zones around wells supplying group water schemes under the EU nitrates regulation; and the name of local authorities which have introduced this. [9786/09]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Nitrates Directive aims to protect all waters against pollution from agricultural sources. Particular care is required for the protection of public health in the case of waters which serve as the source of drinking water. Following consultation with interested parties, the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006 and 2007 were made to implement the Directive in Ireland.

Article 17 of the Regulations includes a prohibition on the application to land of fertiliser or soiled water within specified distances from water courses, including drinking water abstraction points. In the case of specific abstraction points, Article 17(5)(a) of the Regulations provides that a local authority may, following consultation with the EPA, specify an alternative distance following prior investigations and where the authority is satisfied that it is appropriate for the protection of waters being abstracted at that point. The Regulations apply in all local authority areas.