Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 304: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount of capital funding provided to local authorities from 2002 to date in 2010 to prevent leakages in the water distribution system; the percentage this amounts represents of the total capital investment in water infrastructure over the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18764/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Water Services Investment Programme has focused over the past ten years on improving the quality and capacity of water services infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing population and economic demand, and to address environmental compliance. The upgrading of existing water mains and the provision of new mains have arisen both in the context of new or upgraded infrastructure in water supply projects financed under the general Water Services Investment Programme as well as projects undertaken under the Water Conservation Sub-Programme.

Total Exchequer expenditure from 2002 to date in 2010 on the provision of water supply infrastructure has been €1.622 billion, of which some €155.2 million has been spent on water conservation works, representing almost 10% of the total spend.

Most local authorities have completed or are close to completing the initial phases of their water conservation programmes, which involved putting water management and active leakage control systems in place to monitor water use and tackle water losses throughout the supply networks. This provides the platform for intensive investment in mains rehabilitation which is a key priority under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, which provides for the commencement of contracts involving network rehabilitation with a value of some €320 million over the next three years. A copy of the Programme is available in the Oireachtas Library.