Written answers

Tuesday, 24 November 2009

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Water Quality

9:00 pm

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 429: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the statements of the director general of the Environmental Protection Agency that there is an unacceptable level of non-compliance with drinking water standards and wastewater treatment; the steps he will take to address this issue, including pursuing those who are negligent regarding these standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42751/09]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The levels of compliance with drinking water and waste water standards are monitored by the EPA. In relation to drinking water, the EPA published its annual report on the provision and quality of drinking water for the period 2007-2008 in April 2009. The report contains the results of monitoring data for 2007 and highlighted that overall compliance with drinking water standards in 2007 was 97.2%.

The EPA published a report on urban waste water discharges in Ireland for population equivalents greater than 500 persons for the years 2006-2007 in July 2009. This report sets out the result of monitoring data in this two-year period and indicated that while 90% of waste water receives secondary treatment, or better, the overall compliance rate for treatment plants was 31%. A significant proportion of the non compliance was due to inadequate sampling by the local authorities.

Compliance with the relevant standards for both drinking water and waste water treatment standards is a key priority for my Department. Since 2007, I have strengthened the regulatory regime governing both drinking water and urban waste water. The European Communities (Drinking Water) (No. 2) Regulations 2007 prescribe quality standards to be applied and related supervision and enforcement procedures in relation to supplies of drinking water. Under the Regulations, local authorities are responsible for the supervision of group water supplies, while the EPA is responsible for the supervision of public water schemes.

The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations, 2007, provide for an authorisation system for all wastewater discharges to waters from treatment plants or collection systems owned or controlled by local authorities. Introduced on a graduated basis since 2007, local authorities may not cause or allow discharges from wastewater facilities except in accordance with EPA requirements.

Continued capital investment in water services infrastructure is critical to achieve increased compliance with the relevant standards for drinking water and waste water. There has been significant progress in delivering improved water and waste water infrastructure under my Department's Waste Water Investment Programme since the monitoring periods covered by these reports. My Department has allocated €500m in capital funding for 2009 under the Water Services Investment Programme.

My Department works closely with the EPA and the local authorities to identify actions needed to resolve issues relating to the operation of drinking water and waste water treatment plants. A key priority has been to address drinking water schemes which appear on the EPA's remedial action list. These are schemes identified as being at the risk of not complying with drinking water standards. All local authorities have been asked to provide the EPA with a summary of the action programme being implemented to address such schemes by 30 November 2009.

My Department also chairs the Water Services Training Group which is responsible for identifying and delivering appropriate training to local authority personnel involved in the delivery and operation of water and waste water services.

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