Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Dec 2001

Vol. 546 No. 1

Written Answers. - Water Supply.

Michael D. Higgins

Question:

150 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the departures which are valid with respect to the supply of water by Sligo County Council, Sligo Corporation and Limerick County Council; the conditions of such departures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31327/01]

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

Stringent standards in relation to the quality of drinking water are prescribed by the European Communities (Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption) Regulations, 1988. Standards are prescribed in relation to 55 separate parameters. The regulations impose a duty on sanitary authorities to take the necessary measures to ensure that supplies of drinking water generally meet those standards save in emergency situations or other exceptional situations specified in the regulations, including situations where a departure is granted by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. A departure from the prescribed standards may be granted to take account of special circumstances arising from the nature and structure of the ground in the area from which the water supply emanates and of circumstances arising from exceptional weather conditions. A departure which would constitute a public health hazard may not be granted.

Information in relation to the departures granted to Limerick County Council, Sligo County Council and Sligo Corporation is set out in the following table. The departures are granted subject to the conditions that the sanitary authority shall continue to monitor the parameters involved, and take all possible measures to keep exceedances for the parameters at the lowest possible level. The departures relate to the parameters colour, iron and manganese and are valid until 31 December 2003. The granting of departures in relation to these parameters will not arise subsequent to that date because of the commencement on 1 January 2004 of the European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations, 2000 and the consequent repeal of the 1988 regulations. The new regulations classify the parameters colour, iron and manganese, and 17 other parameters, as ‘indicator parameters' and will permit a more flexible regime in relation to parameters. The new regulations will also transfer the function of granting departures, to the Environmental Protection Agency in so far as these are required under the new regime.

	Name of Scheme	Parameter for which Departure has been granted	Departure valid until
Limerick	Ballyhahill	Manganese/Iron	31/12/2003
County	Banogue	Manganese/Iron	31/12/2003
Council	Caherconlish	Manganese	31/12/2003
	Cappamore	Manganese	31/12/2003
	Glin	Manganese	31/12/2003
	Pallasgreen	Manganese/Iron	31/12/2003
Sligo County Council	Lough Gill (Cairns Hill)	Iron/Colour	31/12/2003
	Lough Askey	Colour	31/12/2003
SligoCorporation	Killsellagh	Iron	31/12/2003