Roger T. Garland
Question:155 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for the Environment whether it is his policy to monitor for contamination of ground water or to avoid such an occurrence taking place.
Written Answers. - Water Quality Monitoring.
The Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, 1977 and 1990, provide that a person shall not cause or permit polluting matter to enter ground waters; these Acts also make the discharge of trade effluent or sewage effluent to ground waters subject to licensing by the relevant local authority. Small volumes of domestic sewage discharged from septic tanks or other disposal units by means of percolation areas or soakage pits are exempt from this licensing requirement.
All water used for human consumption, from whatever source, must be monitored regularly in accordance with the requirements of the Drinking Water Regulations, 1988. Water quality monitoring generally, and the instigation of enforcement and appropriate remedial action in the event of pollution, is a matter for the relevant local authority.