Water and Sewerage Schemes.

Mr. Bannon

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to the House and thank him for taking this matter concerning the pressing need for his Department to provide accelerated investment in the Longford central water supply and other areas in the county in which chronic water supply problems are being encountered on a daily basis. Any community, especially a rural business and farming community, is entitled to a reliable and plentiful supply of water without interruption or supply interference.

While I am aware that some of the problems being experienced in County Longford will be addressed in schemes included in the water services investment programme 2004 to 2006, the Department may not be aware of the urgent need for immediate funding and action in this regard. Water shortages in and around Longford town are causing severe disruption to people in the county. They occur for a number of reasons, including increased demand versus supply capacity, excessive bursts on public mains due to aged network and inadequate storage and reservoir capacity. From 29 August 2004 to 2 September 2004, Longford County Council had to contend with a sequence of events which resulted in customers experiencing severe disruptions of supply. On 29 August, the water supply was turned off at night to conserve supply. On 30 August, the Prucklish reservoir was empty due to a suspected burst in the Newtownforbes area but the council was unable to locate the problem due to consumption and lack of water. This problem affected the Newtownforbes, Aughadegnan, Clonbalt Woods Lismore group water scheme and high areas in Edgeworthstown.

On 31 August, the council located and fixed a significant burst and most of the Newtownforbes area was restored but the water was turned off at night. On 1 and 2 September, there was a major burst under the railway at Lamagh due to Iarnród Éireann constraints where Longford County Council encountered significant engineering problems. It repaired the section and re-routed supply to Aughadegnan and Clonbalt Woods and Newtownforbes GAA grounds. On 2 September, the council restored supply to all other areas.

During this period several other bursts were located and repaired. These measures were taken over a few days. The problems continue every day of the year and such remedial actions are merely isolated measures in an attempt to keep the countywide system operating until funding is provided to tackle the problem in its entirety. Longford County Council does not have the funds to rectify its water supply problems, which it has outlined in its assessment of needs for the capital investment programme.

Funding from the Minister of State's Department is essential to allow the council to undertake schemes which cannot be ignored in the interest of an essential water supply. The council needs to carry out a strategic review of the Longford central regional scheme which will address all the problems of the scheme and propose solutions. Following on from this review, essential works must be undertaken with urgency. We are all concerned about the quality of drinking water and the onus is on the State to provide a pure and wholesome water supply for all its citizens.

In Longford that provision is sadly lacking and the antiquated network and inadequate reservoir capacity is depriving people throughout the county of a very basic right. I must ask the Minister of State to clarify his Department's position on funding for this important venture. Perhaps he will give me a positive response because there are grave concerns about this issue. Before I came into the House tonight I received three telephone calls about other problems in the north Longford area, specifically the Moyne and Leggah area and the Newtowncashel area in south County Longford. The problem is widespread throughout the county and it is important that it be addressed as soon as possible.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. B. O’Keeffe)

I thank the Senator for the opportunity to clarify these issues. Providing modern environmental infrastructure to support social and economic objectives has been a major focus of Government spending over recent years. My Department has made unprecedented investment under the national development plan on water and sewerage schemes and this has contributed significantly to the economic growth in every part of the country.

Last May, my Department published the latest phase of the water services investment programme, covering the years 2004 to 2006. The total allocated to County Longford under this latest phase comes to over €53 million, extending to some 14 individual schemes. Of that sum, €18 million is earmarked specifically for major water supply improvements, while €4.2 million is allocated for water conservation work. The schemes selected for approval in the programme took full cognisance of the priorities identified by Longford County Council in its most recent assessment of new water services infrastructure requirements in the county.

My Department is very conscious of the need to advance the Longford central regional water supply scheme as quickly as possible. The council has informed us that there have been supply disruptions due to a combination of increased demand, inadequate storage and water loss from the supply network. All of these concerns are being urgently addressed as part of the Longford central regional water supply scheme and the countywide water conservation project.

There are two elements in the Longford central regional water supply scheme. The first phase, estimated to cost €7.1 million, will provide a new storage reservoir and 15 km of rising mains. Phase I has been approved to go to construction as soon as possible under my Department's water services investment programme. The necessary Exchequer funds have been allocated and are available for draw-down by the council as soon as they are needed. Some advance works have already been done with my Department's approval, for example, the construction of an access road to the reservoir at Knockahaw and some sections of mains and pipes.

Officials in my Department are examining the design review report for the main share of the works and will deal with it as quickly as possible. When this is approved the council will be free to draw up contract documents that will be used to invite tenders for the scheme. In the interim, the council is proceeding with site investigation and other preparatory work. The water for the Longford central regional scheme is treated at plants at Lough Currygraney and Lough Forbes.

The second phase of the scheme will focus mainly on upgrading the treatment facilities from the quality and capacity points of view. The council is also pushing ahead with this phase and will conduct interviews for consultants in the coming week to get the planning process under way as soon as possible. My Department will also facilitate the advancement of this phase of the scheme to construction as quickly as the council can process it through the various steps in the planning process.

There is little point in producing extra water supply capacity if it is then lost through leakage or other deficiencies in the distribution system. Water conservation is the key to meeting communities' needs in a sustainable way. Longford County Council has already completed several of the measures required to create a fully-developed water conservation strategy, included the mapping of services, district metering, demand allocation and structural assessment of pipe networks. A total of €4.2 million has been allocated to the council for the next stage of the process and my Department awaits the council's proposals to build on the measures already in place, for example, by implementing active leakage control across the entire supply network and prioritising the replacement of obsolete pipelines. In the meantime, my Department has approved the council's proposals to rehabilitate old water mains in Longford town and in Granard, while roadworks were under way.

My Department awaits contract documents from the council for stage 1 of the Lanesboro water supply scheme. When the contract documents have been cleared, work on this scheme will also be able to start. With regard to the Ballymahon and Granard regional water supply schemes, also approved in the water services investment programme, the council is preparing briefs for the appointment of consultants to get the planning of these projects under way.

Many new water schemes are moving ahead in Longford that will comprehensively address the matters the Senator has outlined, as well as generally improving the quality and coverage of water supply around the county. I have listened carefully to what the Senator said and I and my officials are fully committed to getting these schemes under way as quickly as possible. I have already verified that the necessary finances have been set aside in my Department's water services investment programme. My Department would very much welcome any proposals the council might put forward to accelerate the implementation of any of the approved schemes.

Mr. Bannon

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. This matter is urgent. Would the Minister be prepared to meet a deputation from Longford County Council with regard to accelerating funding for this scheme? The reservoirs are an important aspect of infrastructure for Longford and anything the Minister can do will be very much appreciated.

Mr. B. O’Keeffe

The Minister would have no difficulty in meeting the delegation but it would be more productive for the council to first submit any proposals it might have, to which we could give a considered response and have a follow-up meeting. The sooner the council can do that, the better.

Seanad Éireann debate - Thursday, 25 Nov 2004