Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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626. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the work being carried out by the working group, led by his Department, in relation to treatment plants and septic tanks in housing estates that are due to be taken in charge by the local authority. [26032/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My Department, as part of a wider overhaul of the taking in charge process, is seeking to determine the number of residential developments with developer provided stand-alone wastewater treatment plants and/or water treatment systems that are not connected to public water and waste water networks. Many of the developments in question have not yet been taken in charge by the relevant local authority because they are unfinished. In some cases the developments may be completed but not to the standards required under the planning permissions granted. My Department is engaged on a pilot project focusing on the situation in a number of local authority areas in order to get a clear overview of the nature of the problems which exist in the developments in question, and identifying possible solutions and the costs of alleviating those problems. The information garnered from the pilot project will be used by my Department to inform the development of a co-ordinated approach to the taking-in charge by local authorities of developments with developer provided water services infrastructure and, where appropriate, the transfer of such infrastructure to Irish Water. The participating local authorities have provided information regarding developments with developer-provided waste water treatment plans in their functional areas. This information is currently being analysed, with consideration being given to the various remediation options available, depending on the location and size of the development and the nature and condition of the treatment system in place.