Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will estimate, in percentage terms, the volume of treated water which leaks into the ground in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5988/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The operation, maintenance and management of the water supply are in this instance a matter for Dublin City Council. The Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2008 report, a copy of which is available from the Oireachtas Library, includes information on Unaccounted for Water (UFW) in each local authority.

During the period from 1996 to 2002 Dublin City Council, as the lead authority in the Dublin area for the water conservation programme, implemented active leakage detection and reduction, carried out some mains renewal and installed leakage control infrastructure. This work, which was funded under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme, resulted in water lost through leakage, and otherwise unaccounted for, being reduced from over 42% to about 28%.

My Department is now funding Dublin City Council's watermains rehabilitation programme, which is designed to build on the work already done and reduce further the level of unaccounted for water.