Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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210. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 383 of 24 September 2013, if a house owner or the local authority is responsible for leaks or sewerage blockages outside of a home owner's boundary located on a public footpath or road in view of information from Cork County Council (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41398/13]

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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211. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 384 of 24 September 2013, if there are grants available to assist home owners to replace leaking pipes or collapsed sewers where the problem occurs outside their boundary under a public footpath or road in view of information provided by Cork County Council (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41404/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose taking Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together.

The Water Services Act 2007 provides that where a property is connected to a public water or waste water system the property owner is only responsible for the maintenance and replacement of any water or wastewater pipes, connections or distribution systems which are connected within the boundary of their premises. It would not be appropriate to provide a grant system for the replacement of leaking pipes outside a home-owner's property.

My Department's Water Services Investment Programme funds 90% of the costs incurred by local authorities in addressing water mains rehabilitation. The Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2013 builds on existing investment in water conservation, which has seen over €247 million spent on various water conservation measures between 2003 and 2012. Over the past number of years, annual expenditure on water conservation has been in the range of €30-€40m.