Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken to address the issue of leaking mains and leakage from pipes to ensure that the quantity of unaccounted for water in our public water supply is reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15955/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Over the past seven years, my Department has recouped some €130 million to local authorities for water conservation measures in their areas. With this investment, local authorities have, to date, largely focused on putting in place water management systems to allow for active leakage control and better planning of mains rehabilitation.

This investment thus provides the platform for more intensive investment in mains rehabilitation and is a key priority under the new Water Services Investment Programme which I published earlier this week. The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 to 2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, will build on existing investment in water conservation, by providing for a very substantial scaling up of activity on mains rehabilitation. My aim is to substantially increase investment in water conservation under the new Programme to provide for the commencement of contracts with a value of some €320 million over the next three years. This level of activity will tackle the problem of unaccounted for water in public water supply networks, with losses ranging from 16.8% to 58.6% nationwide, depending on the local authority involved.

The report Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2008 published last November by the Local Government Management Services Board, a copy of which is also available in the Oireachtas Library, sets out the most recent figures for unaccounted for water for each county and city council. Such levels of water loss are unsustainable and indicate the clear need for local authorities to take more concerted action to tackle the problem.