Vol. 512 No. 8
78 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress to date by his Department on plans to assess the effectiveness of a number of water saving devices; and the type of devices being assessed under the water conservation programme. [27377/99]
The objective of the water conservation measures funded under my Department's water services investment programme is to reduce the volume of unaccounted for water in the distribution network through elimination of leakage and rehabilitation of pipework. This will improve the level of supply to consumers, lower operating costs and maximise the value of investment in capital works. Sixteen conservation projects with an estimated cost of nearly £50 million are under way nationwide. The programme does not include the provision or assessment of water saving devices.
In June 1999, I published criteria for an annual sustainable building award which explicitly recognises water conservation as an important element in sustainable construction. My Department has also requested the National Standards Authority of Ireland to update the Irish standard for toilets – IS 70 of 1980 – to make provision for a flush toilet water cistern which would reduce water consumption.
