Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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265. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has received a formal report from Irish Water on the Achill Island water treatment plant; the proposed remediation works involved to rectify the capacity issue to avoid a repeat of elevated levels of aluminium and turbidity next summer (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30918/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels and I have no function in relation to this matter, under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 and therefore the issue of a formal report being sent to my Department does not arise.

However, my officials did maintain contact with Irish Water regarding the provision of safe drinking water on Achill Island during the summer. Irish Water informed my Department that the issues at the treatment plant were a result of the unusually high water demand due to an increase in visitors during the summer holiday period and increased water temperatures, and that over the period Irish Water, Mayo County Council, the HSE and the EPA maintained ongoing contact until the immediate issue was resolved.

I understand that some upgrade works have taken place at the Acorrymore Water Treatment Plant to prevent inadequately treated water being supplied to consumers in the future. Irish Water also cleaned all 18 reservoirs (to remove any residual aluminium sediment) before the 'Do not Consume' notice was lifted on Friday 4th September 2020.

In addition to these works, Irish Water and Mayo County Council are working together to devise a plan to ensure longer term measures are put in place to deal with increases in demand in the future.

The Government has committed to ambitious funding of Irish Water’s capital investment plans for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis. The Government plans to deliver the €8.5 billion funding package committed to in Project Ireland 2040. Prioritising the order of this work, and the associated investment, will need ongoing engagement between Irish Water and its regulators (the EPA and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities) to ensure an effective and efficient delivery of necessary water quality outcomes and to improve overall water-system resilience.

Finally, for further information in relation to specific projects Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ieor by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.