Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 522: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he has taken or proposes to take to incentivise the prevention of pollution of rivers, lakes and streams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31303/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I have recently given final approval, with amendments, to River Basin Management Plans developed jointly by the local authorities in each River Basin District. In accordance with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive these plans set out environmental objectives to be achieved and measures to be implemented to protect and improve our waters. The plans, which have been developed through river basin district projects funded by my Department, provide a blueprint for improving and restoring waters in each river basin district.

Since 2007 I have strengthened the legislative framework for the protection of waters. I introduced the Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations which require local authorities to obtain discharge licences from the EPA for wastewater treatment plants. The licences impose emission limits on wastewater discharges, compliance with which is overseen by the EPA. In 2009 I revised the Nitrates Regulations in order to provide for better farmyard management and to strengthen enforcement provisions. I have also introduced regulations to transpose the revised Bathing Water Directive, to transpose the Groundwater Directive, and to further transpose the Water Framework Directive. I intend bringing proposals to Government later this year to provide for a new system for monitoring and inspecting the performance of septic tanks and other on-site waste water treatment systems.

The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, which I published in April 2010, provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure. An Exchequer provision of €508 million has been made available this year to fund the ongoing provision of water services infrastructure under this Programme and the Rural Water Programme. The new programme builds on the achievements already secured through the €2.7 billion which has been invested by the Exchequer in major public waste water schemes between 2000 and 2009. In 2000, 25% of urban wastewater discharges were in compliance with the end of 2005 requirement under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive - to subject discharges from agglomerations of a population equivalent of 2,000 (in the case of fresh or estuarial waters) or 10,000 (in the case of coastal waters), as appropriate, to secondary treatment prior to discharge. Compliance has now risen to some 92%, with all remaining non-compliant agglomerations included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012.

The Water Services Investment Programme aims to prioritise projects that target environmental compliance issues and has been aligned with priorities identified in River Basin Management Plans. It also fully supports economic and employment growth.

These measures, together, are a clear statement of the priority which the Government is giving to preserving and protecting our water resources.