Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the public health issue that has arisen at a location (details supplied) in County Galway where the drinking supply of water has been contaminated by an oil spillage and if he will expedite the approval of the Costello regional water supply scheme which will serve this location. [6981/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Carraroe water supply is abstracted from Loughaunwillaun Lake adjacent to Carraroe village. The scheme supplies the village of Carraroe, the greater Carraroe peninsula, Bealadangan, Costello, and the group scheme of Camus and Rossaveel.

I understand that the current incident involves the leakage of heating oil from a property in Carraroe. Galway County Council has established the source of the oil leak and has taken steps to minimise the leakage including liaising with the property owners involved. The property owners have commenced remediating their site with the removal of the affected soil and the placing of booms on the stream into which oil has been seeping.

At the intake point the Council has provided additional booms and straw to prevent the ingress of oil particles into the water supply distribution system and has commenced the aeration and agitation of the raw water adjacent to the source in an effort to break up the oil particles to aid their evaporation. Work has commenced on cleansing the distribution network of any residue and specialist contractors have been brought in to flush and clean out two reservoirs on the scheme. Daily sampling of the raw water and distribution network is being undertaken.

Since 30 March 2011, tankers of clean water have been placed throughout the affected network to provide the public with clean drinking water. These tankers are continually replenished as required. All those in need of clean water are being attended to by Galway County Council staff on the ground. This is being done in consultation with the HSE and local community groups. The Council website is being continually updated with relevant information, such as the extent of the network affected and the locations of tankers. Notices are being placed on local radio to keep the public up to date.

Galway County Council is currently liaising with the HSE to determine when a normal water supply can be resumed. I understand that the Council has recently recorded clear results in the raw water at the intake to the supply though contamination of the supply network will persist for a period.

While this incident relates to the pollution of the source, there is planned investment to upgrade the Carroroe treatment plant in the short-term, as risks have been identified on the supply by the Environmental Protection Agency and it is included on their Remedial Action List. The Department approved funding of almost €723,000 in 2010 to address these issues. Substantial investment is contemplated in the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 -2012 , providing for a new source, treatment facilities and water treatment plant and extensive distribution network upgrades for the Carraroe area under the Costello Regional Water Supply Scheme. The total estimated cost of the proposed contracts is €15.3 million, and they are amongst the list of contracts in the programme to advance to construction by 2012.

An Bord Pleanála has approved the EIS for the Costello scheme with conditions. Galway County Council submitted a copy of the EIS to the Department in October 2010, together with its report on the EIS conditions. My Department is currently examining this report in conjunction with the Council's contract documents for the scheme. A decision on those documents will be conveyed to the Council in the coming weeks. Once approved, the Council will then be in a position to seek tenders for the scheme.