Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he proposes to take to ensure the elimination of all possible pollution of the groundwater by malfunction or undercapacity of local authority sewerage treatment systems; if he has identified the locations of all such pollution or potential pollution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18421/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The EPA reports on Water Quality in Ireland present a review of water quality in various water bodies, including groundwaters, and identify suspected causes of pollution. The EPA also provides details of the quality of urban waste water discharges and sewage sludges in its reports on Urban Waste Water Discharges in Ireland.

Local authorities are responsible for the operation and maintenance of public waste water infrastructure and operate under the general supervision of the EPA, which can issue advice, recommendations and directions to local authorities. The EPA reports provide authorities with guidance in relation to any shortcomings in performance in individual locations. Where capital works are required to attain the required level of performance, water services authorities can fund the works under the devolved Rural Water Programme, for which my Department allocates annual block grants, or seek to have the works included for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme, as appropriate.

The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations, 2007, provide for an authorisation system for urban waste water discharges by local authorities and for the purpose of giving further effect to the Dangerous Substances Directive and the Water Framework Directive. The authorisation system is being administered by the EPA and applies to all discharges to waters from sewage treatment plants or collection systems owned or controlled by local authorities.