Vol. 537 No. 1
159 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the death of a number of people recently in a town in Ontario, Canada, as a result of the presence in the water supply of e. coli 0157:H7 due to the presence of minute quantities of animal waste; if he has satisfied himself that no such risks exist in regard to private or group water supplies here; and if not, the action he is taking in this regard. [15478/01]
Contamination by e. coli 0157 generally arises in relation to infection throughout the food chain. There have been no reported instances of such contamination of drinking water supplies in this country. Statutory responsibility for the provision of drinking water supplies and for upholding prescribed quality standards rests with sanitary authorities.
Stringent standards for coliform levels in drinking water are prescribed in the European Communities (Quality of Water Intended for human Consumption) Regulations, 1988 (S.I. No. 81 of 1988). Article 4 of the regulations places a duty on sanitary authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure that water intended for human consumption meets these standards. This duty is performed under the general supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency, which publishes a report annually on the quality of drinking water in Ireland. A copy of the most recent report, in relation to 1999, is available in the Library and provides detailed information in relation to water quality by reference to prescribed parameters.
Group scheme sector is the subject of a comprehensive programme of measures for improvement under the rural water programme. Last year with the objective of ensuring group water could achieve the highest water quality standards, I introduced a 100% grant for the provision of essential water treatment and disinfection equipment for schemes using private sources. Grants of up to £6,000 per house are also payable for associated upgrading works on group schemes including the provision of source protection measures to safeguard vulnerable water sources from organic pollution. Grants of up to £1,600 per house are available from the local authorities for the upgrading of an individual water supply to a house, including the provision of essential water treatment and disinfection equipment.
