Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 778: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to undertake an audit of the water pipes in each local authority area with a view to upgrading the aging water pipe infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1113/11]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 779: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to make additional funding available to the local authorities in County Clare to help defray the costs of water pipe repairs during the recent bad weather spell; the amount to be allocated per local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1114/11]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 778 and 779 together.

The recent severe weather has again highlighted the need to sustain our efforts to rehabilitate older water mains, many of which were damaged during the cold spell. Water mains rehabilitation is an integral part of local authority water conservation strategies, whereby water distribution pipelines are relined or replaced, and is a key priority under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 , a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library.

As part of the development of the Programme, local authorities carried out assessments of needs in 2009, at my Department's request, to review and prioritise their proposals for new capital works, including mains rehabilitation works, in their areas. In their needs assessments, local authorities identified mains rehabilitation works with a value of some €320 million which are included as contracts due to commence over the period of the Programme. Funding is particularly targeted at areas where the level of unaccounted for water is unacceptably high. Over time, this investment should lead to marked reductions in unaccounted for water and progress will continue to be monitored on an annual basis through the local authority service indicator process.

My Department has already allocated over €14 million to local authorities in December 2010 in supplementary funding to assist them in meeting the exceptional and unexpected costs associated with the recent bout of severe winter weather. These costs included such items as road clearance, gritting, salting, overtime and the provision of water. The funding was allocated on the basis of submissions received and was paid to local authorities on 21 December. I have committed to making further funding available to local authorities specifically for the costs incurred in addressing water services difficulties following the thaw at the end of December. Allocations will be made to relevant authorities following a full assessment in the coming weeks of the costs involved.