Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 176: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent to which he has sought or received information from the various local authorities detailing financial or technical requirements in respect of improvement or upgrading of domestic water supply facilities throughout the country with particular reference to the need to eliminate pollution or potential pollution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10382/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of small or medium sized sewerage schemes expected to receive capital funding from his Department through the various local authorities in 2009; the number of applications on hand in respect of which he has been unable to make a capital allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10383/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the full extent of sewerage facility capital projects expected to arise following his capital allocation to various local authorities in respect of 2009; if he will quantify the extent to which this is expected to meet the requirements as set out by the various local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10384/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 178, inclusive, together.

Water Services Authorities are required by my Department to undertake regular assessments of needs for new or upgraded infrastructure in their areas as an input to the overall strategy for meeting water services infrastructural requirements. In carrying out these assessments, authorities take a range of factors into account, including:

relevant national and EU environmental and public health water quality statutory requirements and standards, including the requirements of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations, 2001,

relevant reports and studies such as the National Urban Waste Water Study and any similar studies/reports commissioned locally,

relevant reports produced by the Environmental Protection Agency on water quality and urban wastewater discharges,

the adequacy of existing collection networks and, in the case of anticipated development, the adequacy of the capacity of existing treatment plants, and

continued support for economic activity and the National Spatial Strategy.

The last needs assessments produced by Water Services Authorities were taken into account in the selection and scheduling of the schemes approved for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009, which is available in the Oireachtas Library. I envisage that further needs assessments will be undertaken this year as an input to an updated Water Services Investment Programme.

In addition, my Department allocates annual block grants to Water Services Authorities under the devolved Rural Water Programme on the basis of prioritised work programmes. Additional information in relation to progress on individual projects under the Water Services Investment and Rural Water Programmes may be obtained from the relevant Water Services Authority.

The continued high level of capital investment in the water services sector in recent years, involving Exchequer expenditure of €4.15 billion in the period 2000 — 2008, is a clear statement of the priority assigned by Government to the preservation and protection of our water resources, to meeting EU standards for drinking water and wastewater treatment and to providing critical new water and wastewater infrastructure.