Bernard Allen
Question:248 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the measures he has taken to stop discharge of raw sewage to lakes, rivers and coastal waters. [17632/02]
Written Answers. - Water and Sewerage Schemes.
Bernard Allen
Question:316 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to a pollution threat emanating from local authority water treatment systems; the number of such systems due for upgrading and funding by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17712/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 316 together.
The national development plan provides for expenditure of €4.4 billion over the period 2000-06 on water services infrastructure, the bulk of which will be incurred on the treatment of wastewater. This is approximately three times the total comparable spend during the 1994-99 period. Exchequer expenditure this year is expected to exceed €480 million.
My Department's current water services investment programme, covering the period 2002 to 2004, is the second phase of a rolling three year strategy that will be advanced progressively up to the end of the NDP in 2006. Funding for wastewater infrastructure under the programme is focused on meeting the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. A number of significant wastewater schemes have already been substantially completed under the programme in locations such as Drogheda, Dundalk, Leixlip, Oberstown and Loughrea. The provision of the necessary facilities is well advanced in locations such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford and Galway. The programme now incorporates all the remaining wastewater schemes for specific agglomerations requiring secondary treatment or better under the directive.
The wastewater schemes included in the water services investment programme 2002-04, which is available in the Oireachtas Library, were drawn mainly from the assessments of needs produced by local authorities in response to my Department's request to all authorities to prepare and submit prioritised proposals for dealing with their capital water services requirements. The assessments have helped to quantify the amount of investment needed to augment existing schemes and to provide new facilities.
In general, the operation of water treatment plants does not give rise to a risk of pollution. Local authorities are required to have action plans in place for the security and protection of water resources and drinking water supplies as part of their major emergency plans. The action plans would include measures to be taken in the event of a pollution incident.
Question No. 249 answered with Question No. 185.
Question No. 250 answered with Question No. 43.