Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 362: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount of water lost in south Tipperary due to leaks within the system; his plans to reduce this loss of water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30420/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The report Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2008 published by the Local Government Management Services Board, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, sets out the most recent figures for unaccounted for water for each county and city council. The levels of water lost range from 16.8% to 58.6%, with water loss of 55.4% in South Tipperary.

Over the past seven years, my Department has provided some €130 million to local authorities for water conservation measures in their areas. The primary objective of water conservation is to reduce water loss in distribution networks to an economic level and to address unacceptably high levels of unaccounted for water. 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 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 in April. The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 to 2012, a copy of which is also available in the Oireachtas Library, provides for a very substantial scaling up of activity on mains rehabilitation. The new Programme provides for the commencement of water conservation contracts with a value of some €320 million over the next three years, including five contracts for mains rehabilitation and other improvement works worth €12.25 million in South Tipperary. Local authorities are required to give priority to water conservation works as an alternative to new infrastructure provision.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 363: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the project and funding for the Barrow water abstraction programme; if there are any outstanding issues in relation to this project; the proposed timescale of the project; the total estimated cost of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30451/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Barrow Abstraction Scheme is included for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 at an estimated cost of almost €56 million. I have today approved the funding to allow Kildare County Council to accept a tender of just over €24.6 million for the Barrow Abstraction Scheme Water Treatment Plant. This plant is to be constructed at Srowland under a Design Build Operate contract.

The Council has submitted the contract documents for the rising main from Ardscull to Athy and a proposal in relation to the Bagnalstown Lock Upgrade. These submissions are currently being examined by my Department and a decision will be conveyed to the Council as soon as possible. Contract documents for the remaining watermain from Ardscull to Old Kilcullen are awaited by my Department.