Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the provisions he intends to make in the short, medium and long term to meet in full the domestic drinking water requirements together with the necessary treatment and storage facilities throughout the country; the capital projects intended in such provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30718/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 519: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans for the augmentation of domestic drinking water supply with particular reference to storage, purification systems and networks; if he has in mind any specific proposals to address these issues in the short to medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31300/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 519 together.

My Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, which is available in the Oireachtas library, sets out my plans for investment in major water services projects to meet key environmental and economic objectives, including increased treatment and storage capacity and network improvements where appropriate, over the coming period. The Programme comprises just over 130 contracts and water conservation projects in progress with a value of about €1 billion, some 340 contracts to be progressed to construction over the period 2010 – 2012 with a value of €1.8 billion and some 190 schemes and water conservation projects on which planning work will continue.

Investment under the Water Services Investment Programme is complemented by investment annually under the Rural Water Programme - a largely devolved programme of investment on relatively smaller water services schemes and the group water sector. Of the total of €93 million available under the Rural Water Programme in 2010, block allocations amounting to some €85 million were made to County Councils. The remaining funds are targeted at small public water supplies, which, based on Environmental Protection Agency reports, require remedial action.