Vol. 566 No. 4
127 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the concerns of the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament regarding water quality here; and the steps he intends taking to address their concerns. [13039/03]
The European Parliament's Committee on Petitions visited Ireland in April to examine, inter alia, representations made to it in relation to two public water supplies. In both cases measures have been taken by the local authorities to improve the level of service to consumers pending the completion of major infrastructure improvements that have been approved for funding under my Department's water services investment programme. A draft copy of the committee's report was furnished to my Department following the visit in which the committee acknowledges the Government's determination to resolve drinking water quality deficiencies. Copies of the draft report have been forwarded by my Department to the local authorities concerned and to the Environmental Protection Agency. A final version of the report has not yet been made available to the Department but it will be carefully considered on receipt.
The Environmental Protection Agency publishes a report annually on the quality of drinking water in Ireland and a copy of the report for 2001 is available in the Oireachtas Library. This report confirms the fundamentally good quality of Irish drinking water, with an overall compliance rate of 94.3% and with prescribed standards for all supplies, based on 14 principal parameters. Following from recommendations made in previous years, documented procedures are in place or in preparation by a number of authorities to respond to detected breaches of quality standards. Future reports will highlight the extent to which deficiencies identified in EPA audits have been addressed.
Ongoing investment by my Department in the development and upgrading of water supply infrastructure is intended to maximise compliance with prescribed quality standards. The National Development Plan 2000-2006 provides for investment amounting to €1.59 billion on major water supply schemes, and my Department's water services investment programme, 2002-04, includes 218 public water supply schemes.
Water quality deficiencies in group water schemes are mainly confined to those schemes that are dependent on private sources, including rivers, lakes and boreholes. The schemes involved serve 50,000 rural households. Since March 2000, all these schemes are eligible for a 100% grant for the installation of water disinfection and treatment equipment. Related civil works are grant aided at up to 85% of cost. In addition, a subsidy of up to €197 per house is payable towards the operational cost of supplying domestic water to group scheme consumers. Earlier this year I announced a record annual allocation of over €100 million under the rural water programme.
Additional Information.
The planned capital spend this year is up almost 50% on last year's figure and is ten times greater than what was spent in 1996. This demonstrates the Government's commitment to eliminating the problem of quality deficient rural water supplies. While as many as possible of schemes with private sources will be connected to a local authority public supply, 500 will have to provide their own water disinfection and treatment facilities, all of which will be 100% grant aided.
The 2003 allocation provides the means to put in motion, this year, a massive upgrading programme to improve supplies to 38,000 out of the 50,000 rural households dependent on schemes with poor quality private sources. Positive progress on these schemes this year will break the back of the problem. Funding to eliminate the remainder of the problem has been provided under the NDP. It is also intended to introduce a licensing system for the group water sector under the forthcoming Water Services Bill.
Any breach of drinking water standards is a serious matter that must be urgently addressed. In that context I am satisfied that the measures being implemented and the strategies being pursued by my Department will resolve the remaining deficiencies in individual supplies in the shortest possible timescale.
The Minister indicated that 100% grant aid is available to improve the water quality of the group water schemes, which is mainly the concern of rural Ireland. Why are no grants available from the local authorities to upgrade pipe-size pumps etc., which are vital for the continuation of many such schemes? In my County Galway, grants are only available to improve water quality while nothing is provided to improve water quantity, increased pipe sizes or increased volume of water in the schemes. Is the Minister concerned at the findings of a recent survey, which shows that at least 25% of the group water schemes are in breach of the standards laid down?
I re-emphasise that 94% of the water in the country is of a very high standard. It is equally important that we do not confuse the issues, particularly with the problems facing some rural water schemes. That is why I have provided so much in terms of resources – over €100 million announced in the past few months – into these schemes. In fairness to the National Group Water Scheme Association, we have, working with them, agreed on a formula for moving forward involving the bundling of many of the smaller schemes to ensure maximum cost efficiency and usage. In many cases we could not find information on who runs these private water schemes. We had to try to get people together to progress matters. I am confident that we will eradicate this problem. That is my objective. In this regard, a minority of the schemes must be dealt with.
I am not sure what point the Deputy is making in terms of upgrading. Local authorities have substantial resources of their own to deal with a range of issues. If pressing issues arise, as the Deputy has outlined in his local area, it is open to the local authority to deal with some of them from their own resources.
Will the Minister agree that on the question of the group water schemes, which began as part of a community effort to provide a water supply where none was available, part of the investment programme dealing with their upgrade involves the transfer of their effective control from the community groups which established them to the private companies engaged in the investment? Does he accept that while there is a welcome upgrade of the schemes in terms of water quality, an effective transfer of control of the schemes is being effected?
I appreciate the Deputy's point but I do not accept it. The management of many of the schemes has become much more demanding, especially as sophisticated equipment is involved. Even if I was involved in a scheme I would not have the knowledge or ability to operate it. I have met many in the communities which have benefited from these new schemes. Local community groups are directly involved, but given that the management of them has become a more sophisticated operation, they are pleased that companies are able to act on their behalf, especially as they do not have the capacity. It is a very specialised business. I have visited many parts of the country and where I have been involved in opening these new schemes with combined groups working together, they are delighted with the new arrangements and are very proud of their new schemes. There is not an issue here. It is a question of the transfer to a sophisticated form of management from a point where there was little or no management, which was the problem. It has been welcomed by all.
Written answers follow Adjournment Debate.
