Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 6

Written Answers. - Water Quality.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

298 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the steps, if any, he will take to ensure local authorities are not overloading water supplies to domestic dwellings with chlorine, such as in the case of a household (details supplied); the regulations, if any, governing the amount of chlorine fed to domestic supplies; and the safety checks carried out to ensure the quality of drinking water. [26751/99]

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

Responsibility for the operation and management of public water supply treatment facilities is a matter for sanitary authorities under the general supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Article 4 (b) of the European Communities (Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption) Regulations, 1988 (S.I. No. 81 of 1988) requires sanitary authorities to take the measures necessary to ensure that any substances used in the preparation of water for human consumption do not directly or indirectly constitute a public health hazard. In addition, the regulations require sanitary authorities to monitor for residual chlorine when chlorine is used in the treatment process.

Following the making of the 1988 regulations, a handbook on implementation of the regulations was issued by my Department for the guidance of sanitary authorities. This handbook advised authorities to maintain a residual chlorine level in drinking water in the range 0.2 – 0.5 mg/l.

The Environmental Protection Agency publishes annual reports on the results of monitoring of drinking water quality by sanitary authorities. Recent reports have highlighted the critical importance of optimising treatment processes-application of additives for the achievement of good quality drinking water. As a follow-up to these reports, I have called on sanitary authorities to examine all aspects of the operation of treatment plants and stressed the need for optimum performance in the operation of chlorination and other treatment facilities. I have continually emphasised the importance of ensuring that personnel involved in the operation of water treatment plants participate in appropriate training programmes.

My Department, through the water services national training group in association with FÁS, is actively promoting best practice in the operation and management of water supply infrastructure by local authorities and provides training and certification for operatives, technicians and managers with responsibility for water treatment and distribution systems.