Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken to upgrade sewerage and industrial waste water treatment plants to tackle the problem of water pollution and the eutrophication of rivers, lakes and tidal waters as outlined in the most recent Environmental Protection Agency report on water quality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15966/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Good progress has been made in recent years by local authorities in the provision and management of wastewater services in their areas. This progress has been possible through high levels of investment coupled with new legislation on the licensing of wastewater treatment plants.

The process of finalising river basin management plans under the Water Framework Directive is underway at present with plans adopted by the majority of local authorities at this stage. The plans set environmental objectives to protect and improve water quality within 7 river basin districts.

Earlier this week, I published a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure to be undertaken under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012. On wastewater projects alone, it details just over 59 contracts currently in progress with a value of €500 million and 161 contracts to be progressed to construction over the period 2010 – 2012 with a value of just over €1 billion. A further 94 wastewater schemes are listed for work to be undertaken on the earlier planning stages of those schemes.

In addition to economic and planning considerations, the investment programme was, for the first time, informed by the environmental priorities identified as part of the river basin planning process.

Substantial funding of €415m is being provided by the Exchequer to advance major water and waste water schemes in 2010, in addition to investment of €93m under the Rural Water Programme. Against the current economic backdrop, this level of investment, which will mean that average spending on water services over the period 2009 and 2010 will be up 3% on the 2008 outturn, continues to reflect the priority assigned by Government to providing critical water services infrastructure.

The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations, 2007, provides for an authorisation system for urban wastewater discharges by local authorities. The authorisation system, which is being administered by the EPA, applies to all discharges to waters from sewage treatment plants or collection systems owned or controlled by local authorities. Introduced on a graduated basis since 2007, all discharges are now the subject of licences/certificates or licence/certification applications to the EPA.

Discharges from industry to local authority sewage treatment plants are subject to agreement of the relevant local authority. Direct discharges to the aquatic environment from industrial plants are subject to licensing by the relevant local authority or the EPA.