Written Answers. - Sustainable Development Strategy.
John Gormley
Question:
459
Mr. Gormley
asked the
Minister for the Environment and Local Government
if he will indicate which of the 11 measures (details supplied) concerning water in the report, Sustainable Developments - A Strategy for Ireland, have been implemented; and the relevant legislation or regulation used for that implementation.
[8443/02]
Wide-ranging measures are being pursued by my Department in its continuing implementation of Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland, adopted by Government in 1997. The following paragraphs address the measures referred to in the question.
Measure 1As part of my Department's comprehensive, catchment-based national strategy to tackle all sources of eutrophication, major catchment-based projects have been established in respect of Loughs Derg, Ree and Leane, Killarney, and the Rivers Suir, Boyne and Liffey to establish water quality monitoring and management systems.
For purposes of implementing the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), my Department is now extending its successful catchment strategy against eutrophication by promoting the establishment by local authorities of river basin management projects to address water management in all inland and coastal waters, including groundwater, and all sources of water pollution. River basin management projects for the east, the south-east, the River Shannon and the west have been approved in principle. Financial support at a rate of 100% will be provided by DELG for expenditure incurred by local authorities in relation to these projects.
The recently launched EPA's report on Water Quality in Ireland for the period 1998-2000, a copy of which is in the Oireachtas Library, shows that, for the first time since national surveys began in 1971, there has been a reversal in the downward trend in water quality with a reported increase in the length of unpolluted river channel, from 67% in 1995-97 period to 70% in 1998-2000 period. In addition, lake surface area classified as unpolluted has increased from 65% to 93% over the same period. The improvements in water quality are attributed by the report largely to the wide range of catchment-management measures applied, particularly in the large projects promoted by DELG, including investment in upgrade of sewage treatment works.
Measure 2The EPA published, as part of its functions under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, a review of water quality management planning in the State in 1999, including recommendations for a framework for future planning. These recommendations are being elaborated in the context of the EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and the requirement under the directive to prepare comprehensive river basin management plans.
Measure 3All of the regulations made under the Waste Management Acts contribute directly or indirectly to the prevention or reduction of water pollution. The licensing system established under the Act in relation to waste disposal and recovery activities provides for systematic monitoring and regulation of such activities by the EPA and local authorities. Other regulations include: the Waste Management (Amendment of Waste Management Act, 1996) Regulations, 1998 – these regulations amend the scope of section 51(2) of the 1996 Act, concerning the recovery of sludge and agricultural waste; Waste Management (Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) Regulations 1998) – these replace 1991 regulations made for the purpose of giving effect to Council Directive 86/278/EEC on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture; proposals being developed in my Department for further regulations to promote and support the application of good agricultural practice.
Measure 4New water quality standards have been prescribed by: the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations, 1998; Protection of Groundwater Regulations, 1999; and Water Quality (Dangerous Substances) Regulations, 2001.
Measure 5The Fisheries (Amendment) Act 1997 was enacted in 1997.
Measure 6National estimates of pollutant loads to waters – nutrients and organic matter – were prepared in 2000 and included in the EPA Millennium Report a copy of which is in the Oireachtas Library as part of EPA functions under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. Levels of these pollutants in waters are continuously monitored by the local authorities, fishery agencies and the EPA and are documented in the three yearly national water quality reports published by the agency. A separate national survey of potentially toxic substances was carried out by the agency in 1999-2000 and the results were published in 2001. Currently, a national monitoring programme is being developed by the EPA to cover the substances dealt with in the Water Quality (Dangerous Substances) Regulations, 2001. The EPA is also required by these regulations to review certain licences to ensure compliance with prescribed standards for water quality.
Measure 7As part of its functions under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992, a national ground water monitoring programme was established by the EPA in 1995 with the assistance of the local authorities and the data arising have been included in the national water quality reports for 1995-97 and 1998-2000. As part of the national hydrometric programme, the recording of water levels in boreholes and wells also commenced in 1995 to monitor the quantitative aspects of ground water. Problems in groundwater, in respect particularly of quality issues, are discussed in the national reports and general recommendations made on the avoidance of such problems.
Measure 8My Department, the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands co-operated in the preparation and publication of the report and discussion document Coastal Zone Management – A Draft Policy for Ireland in 1997 a copy of which is in the Oireachtas Library. This was followed by a public consultation conference in March 1998 and numerous individual measures advanced by these Departments which are influenced by, and will facilitate achievement of, the principles of integrated coastal zone management. In the case of my Department these include a major programme of investment in waste water treatment plants, especially in the larger, coastal urban centres such as Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Dundalk, Limerick, Galway, Waterford; establishment of river basin management projects in relation to all inland and coastal waters; development and implementation of the Bantry Bay charter by Cork County Council in partnership with interested stakeholders; provision in the Planning and Development Act, 2000 for the making of local area plans in the context of development plans generally, the making of regional planning guidelines by regional authorities and obligations to obtain permission for development on the foreshore; provision for protection of the seashore in the context of development plans; definition of the maritime boundary of a local authority as the high water mark for the time being under the Local Government Act, 2001 provides that; provisions that bye-laws under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts, 1997 and 1990 can now relate to the foreshore.
Policy on integrated coastal zone management will now be advanced in the context of a draft recommendation proposed by the European Commission and under consideration by the institutions of the European Community.
Measure 9Expenditure on water services since the 1997 report, Sustainable Development – A Strategy for Ireland, totals €1.7 billion. The national development plan provides for expenditure of almost €4.4 billion over the period 2000-06 on water services infrastructure, the bulk of which will be incurred on the treatment of waste water. This is approximately three times the total comparable spend during the 1994-99 period. Exchequer expenditure in 2001 reached a record €507 million.
As mentioned under Measure 1, the most recent EPA report on Water Quality in Ireland 1998-2000 confirms an increase in the length of unpolluted river channel for the first time since national surveys commenced in the 1970s. The improvement is attributable to the wide range of catchment-management measures applied particularly in the large projects promoted by my Department including investment in upgrading sewage treatment works.
Measure 10In 1996, the Department introduced the Water Conservation Sub-Programme. Its general objective is to reduce unaccounted for water, UFW, in distribution networks, thereby improving levels of supply to consumers, lowering operating costs and maximising the value of investment in capital works. Almost €64 million was provided for the initial phase of the sub-programme.
Most of the 15 schemes selected for the initial round of the sub-programme in locations such as Dublin, Cork, Galway, Wexford, Waterford, Limerick, Athlone and Clonmel, have completed the initial study phase and have begun physical work on substantial network rehabilitation. Significant reduction in leakage levels is already being achieved, particularly in the Dublin region, where, at the end of the active leakage repair contract in September 2000, unaccounted for water was reduced from 42.5% of supply to 28.7%.
Following the completion of a national water study, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, a comprehensive national water conservation programme is being developed. This programme, with envisaged investment of almost €370 million, will provide funding on a county-county borough basis for a range of water conservation projects including consultant studies, metering, mapping, pilot rehabilitation and repair, leak detection, substantial rehabilitation work and key technical assistance projects.
Measure 11The Government's water services pricing policy provides inter alia for the collection of capital and operational costs from non-domestic customers in a structured and uniform manner and in accordance with the polluter pays principle, including the completion of the metering of all non-domestic water services customers by 2006. The existing legal provision which precludes the charging of households for water services for domestic purposes remains in place. It is expected that the implementation of water services pricing policy will lead to the more sustainable use of these services, including the promotion of effective water conservation policies through economies by industry and general non-domestic customers.
