Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Mar 1993

Vol. 135 No. 9

Adjournment Matters. - Castletroy (County Limerick) Reservoir.

Ms O'Sullivan

I welcome the Minister to the House. I thank him for coming to the House to deal with the matters raised by Senator Mooney and myself.

I wish to raise the matter of the reservoir at Castletroy, County Limerick which is leaking over 1.3 million gallons of costly treated water per day. The local authority is seriously concerned not only about the cost but also about the risk of serious flooding and the possible cutting off of the water supply to 100,000 people in Limerick city.

The city manager undertook to send divers into the reservoir to identify the source of the problem to see if it could be dealt with in that way. Apparently, the reservoir is porous and is leaking in so many different places that it would be impossible to patch it up. The only way to solve the problem is to build a new reservoir.

The reservoir leaks cost the corporation approximately £120,000 annually and in these straitened financial times we can ill afford this expenditure. Remedial action has been attempted but it is not possible. The corporation is so concerned the reservoir may collapse that they are preparing an emergency plan.

The matter has already been brought to the attention of the Department of the Environment. The Minister, Deputy Smith, visited the city council last year and listened attentively to our problems and was particularly responsive to our concern about the reservoir.

The reservoir problem cannot be solved without funding from the Department. Approximately £3.5 million is required but half of this amount should come from EC Structural Funds, because of the nature of the project. Application has been made to the Department and our serious concern has been brought to the attention of the Department on a number of occasions and I wish to restate that concern here.

I ask the Minister to respond positively by giving permission to Limerick County Council to approve the commencement of the contract to erect a new reservoir and water tower at Castletroy, County Limerick.

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Mr. N. Treacy)

I take this opportunity to congratulate Senator O'Sullivan on her election to the Seanad and I wish her well in her term as Senator.

The Minister for the Environment is fully aware of the serious problems at Limerick city reservoir. He is anxious to approve a scheme for a new covered reservoir and water tower to serve Limerick city and its environs as early as possible.

Since the publication of the environment action programme in 1990 over £100 million has been provided to local authorities to ensure the provision of adequate supplies of good quality drinking water to consumers. The Programme for a Partnership Government reiterates the Government's commitment to the action programme and promises to hasten its implementation.

A high level of investment is required to ensure the exacting drinking water quality standards set by the European Community are met. Local authorities have made a significant contribution towards achieving the requirements of the drinking water directive. They are to be congratulated on the success which they have achieved and which is borne out in both the 1989 and 1990 reports on the quality of drinking water in Ireland.

Since we returned to Government in 1987 we have invested over £16 million in the provision of water and sanitary services in the Limerick area. Major sewerage schemes at Rathkeale and Castletroy are scheduled to be completed in 1993 at a cost of £13.7 million. The problems with the existing reservoir, which have been well documented, provide adequate justification for the provision of a new reservoir to serve Limerick city. The proposal has been included, therefore, in the water and sanitary services programme.

The existing reservoir, which has a capacity of 26,000 cubic metres, was constructed at the end of the last century and has inadequate capacity to cater for present demand. Water losses, through leakage of over one million gallons a day, are unsatisfactory and are a serious drain on Limerick Corporation's resources.

A tender recommendation has been submitted to the Department of the Environment by Limerick Corporation for the construction of a 50,000 cubic metre reservoir and a 900 cubic metre water tower to cater for consumers in the more elevated parts of the city. This proposal will involve an investment in excess of £4 million and will take two years to complete.

The provision of the new reservoir is a priority and has been included in the Department of the Environment's list of schemes for European Community funding. The Minister for the Environment has asked me to assure the House and the people of Limerick that everything possible is being done to secure early financing of this scheme. I will, of course, advise him of the important concerns expressed here this evening and I will bring Senator O'Sullivan's comments to his attention.

Ms O'Sullivan

I thank the Minister and I am pleased the reservoir is included in the list of schemes to be funded through the Structural Fund. I hope the funding will be available before our worst fears are realised.

The Seanad adjourned at 6.45 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 30 March 1993.