Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the purpose of the EPA Code of Practice: Waste Water Treatment and Disposal Systems Serving Single Houses (2009). [38907/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Section 76 of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act 1992 enables the EPA to prepare and publish codes of practice for the purpose of providing guidance with respect to compliance with any enactment or other requirement concerning environmental protection. The Code of Practice (CoP) referred to was prepared for the purpose of providing guidance to assist local authorities (as planning, building control, waste and water services authorities), builders, systems manufacturers, systems designers, systems installers and system operators on the provision of wastewater treatment and disposal systems for new single houses with a population equivalent of less than or equal to ten persons.

The COP has replaced previous guidance published by the EPA in 2000 and incorporates requirements arising under the latest relevant European standards, together with up-to-date research findings from the EPA and other sources. From my Department’s perspective the EPA’s adoption of the CoP has significantly enhanced the planning system’s capacity to align appropriate development with suitable sites. Allied to this, the Building Regulations (Part H Amendment) Regulations 2010 also now provide upgraded performance standards addressing the disposal of foul and surface water in respect of new buildings (including dwellings). Finally, the CoP has further facilitated the Department’s capacity to comprehensively address the issue of appropriate systems and monitoring and maintenance arrangements for on-site waste water treatment for single houses in a manner which will ensure that domestic wastewater can be properly managed, recovered and disposed of without endangering human health and without using processes or methods which could harm the environment.