Vol. 495 No. 4
259 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, he has to review the exemption granted to local authorities under the Water Pollution Act, 1996, from the ban which the Act imposes on all other parties relative to the direct discharge of toxic effluent or treated sewage into groundwater; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19998/98]
I propose to make regulations to provide for additional protection for groundwater against discharges of effluent by sanitary authorities. The regulations will prohibit the discharge to groundwater of effluents which contain certain dangerous substances and will introduce new controls in relation to the discharge of other such substances. Work on the preparation of these regulations which will give further effect to the provisions of Council Directive 80/68/EEC, "the Groundwater Directive", is at an advanced stage in my Department.
