Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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152. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has concerns at reports that more than 320,000 persons are drawing their water from risky supplies; the work that is being undertaken to upgrade these supplies; when this work is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54494/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Since 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has profiled public water supplies to determine whether the supply needs to be replaced or upgraded, or operational practices improved to ensure that there are no risks to the supply of drinking water. Supplies which require such improvement are included in a list known as the Remedial Action List (RAL).

Many of these supplies are small and where infrastructure improvements are required, my Department has made funding available to local authorities through a special contingency fund under the Rural Water Programme (RWP). Over €30m has been provided by my Department since 2008 under the RWP for this purpose. Larger supplies are included in the current Water Services Investment Programme 2010–2013 under the environmental objective which sought to undertake works required to respond to Environmental/Public Health objectives.

The first RAL published by the EPA in 2008 identified 339 public water supplies where action was required to ensure that there were no risks to the supply of drinking water. The latest EPA report on the Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland (December 2013) confirms that 237 supplies have been removed from the original list because the necessary remedial actions were completed. Some supplies have been added to the original RAL and the latest figures from the EPA show that 147 supplies remain on the list.

From 1 January 2014 Irish Water will be responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure and is currently preparing a Capital Investment Plan for 2014 - 2015. This Plan will provide for the transition of relevant projects currently included in the Water Services Investment Programme.