Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 3

Written Answers - Domestic Water Supply.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

16 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the average daily water consumption in the country; the amount of storage capacity available to meet this need; the treatment available and required; if he has satisfied himself that the existing capacity and treatment works are sufficient to meet the needs for the next ten years; if further investment in this area is required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5969/98]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

92 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the way in which he proposes to augment the national domestic water supply; if so, when this will occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6077/98]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 92 together.

As I indicated in reply to Question No. 220 of 3 February 1998, a major investment programme to upgrade and extend public and private water supplies is currently under way. Since the start of the National Development Plan in 1994 over £217 million has been expended on this programme. The 1998 water and sewerage services investment programme, which I announced at the start of February and which provided for an overall increase in spending for 1998 of 13 per cent over 1997, will allow for further improvements in public and group water supplies.

The 1996 report on the State of the Environment in Ireland, prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency, estimates that the total water produced by public water supply schemes is about 284 million gallons per day. An additional 11 million gallons per day is provided by group schemes. The report also estimates that domestic and commercial water requirements amount to approximately 55 gallons of water per person per day and the overall volume of water required by manufacturing industry at about 53 million gallons per day. The agency's 1996 report on the Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland contains information in relation to the daily usage and treatment processes for most of the public drinking water supplies monitored.

The amount of storage capacity and the treatment level required varies from scheme to scheme and, while there are no national figures relating to the amount of storage capacity, requirements are addressed on a scheme by scheme basis. Major studies have been carried out in recent years into the water supply requirements for the Dublin Region, and Galway and Waterford cities. Studies are under way for Cork and Limerick cities and a number of other towns and counties across the country. In addition, my Department has received Cohesion Funding to undertake a national water audit entailing the collection and analysis of data for each of the medium to large public water supplies which have not yet been the subject of a study to assess the adequacy of existing systems for each area served and to make recommendations as to the appropriate approach for improving inadequate supplies. I will be appointing consultants later this year to undertake this study. In the case of private group water supplies, local authorities will be developing, in partnership with the private group scheme sector, strategic rural water plans which will contain, as one of their elements, an examination of future demands and a recommendation as to how these should best be met.

It is quite clear, however, from the information already available that there will be a requirement for continued substantial investment in water schemes over the next ten years to provide the necessary infrastructure to sustain our current high level of economic growth and to meet environmental and public health needs.