Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there are health concerns regarding water supply via lead pipes to homes in an area (details supplied). [39660/10]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 422: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding a matter (details supplied). [39661/10]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 423: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if Dublin City Council has a responsibility to put plastic water pipes supplying water into houses where lead pipes are still in use. [39662/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 421 to 423, inclusive, together.

The European Communities (Drinking Water) (No.2) Regulations 2007 prescribe the quality standards to be applied in relation to supplies of drinking water, including requirements relating to sampling and analysis of water to ensure that it meets those standards. The Regulations prescribe a maximum parametric value of 25 micrograms of lead per litre of drinking water supplied.

The Regulations designate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the supervisory authority for local authority drinking water supplies. In April 2009, the EPA issued guidance to local authorities on dealing with lead in drinking water supplies. This guidance addresses the need to identify lead distribution mains, service connections in the ownership of the local authority, lead plumbing in public buildings, the extent of lead plumbing in domestic dwellings and subsequently the approach to be taken where lead pipes have been identified. Local authorities have been advised by my Department that funding is available to carry out appropriate work to replace lead in the distribution mains.

Local authorities are responsible for the drinking water mains and communication pipes linking the mains to stopcocks on individual properties or to the boundary of private property. Section 43(3) and Section 54(1) of the Water Services Act 2007 state that the owner of a premises is responsible for the maintenance and renewal of the internal water distribution system and is required to ensure that it is kept in good order and repair, so as to prevent a risk to human health or the environment and that the water meets prescribed quality standards. Therefore, responsibility for lead piping is dependent on whether it is part of the local authority's distribution system i.e. normally before the service connection to the house, or part of the internal distribution system, i.e. within the boundary of the premises.

The 2007 Regulations require that where a supply of water is considered to be a risk to human health, the local authority which is responsible for that supply must consult with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to agree appropriate follow-up action. The HSE has issued guidance (which is available on the HSE website – www.hse.ie) regarding lead in drinking water, and advises that where there is any lead pipe work between the stop valve outside the house and the kitchen tap, the best solution is to replace it with plastic pipe work. However, the HSE advises householders with lead pipes not to drink water that has been standing in the pipes for long periods, overnight, or if no one has been in the house for more than six hours. In such circumstances, the HSE advises that householders should draw off a small quantity of water from the kitchen cold tap to clear the water which has been standing in the pipes.

My Department has consulted with the local authority in question. The authority is aware of the matter and has concluded that the lead levels in the water are caused by lead plumbing in the premises. The authority has given the persons concerned the advice from the HSE.