Water Pollution.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2006

Tuesday, 4 July 2006

Questions (876)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

892 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the way in which the assimilative capacities or rivers are to be determined in relation to new developments with respect to the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 (Water quality for Phosphorus) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 258 of 1998); if it is on the basis that the prescribed ortho-phosphate levels are never to be exceeded even at low summer flows or if it is the case that the ortho-phosphate levels are not to be exceeded on the basis of the entire annual flow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26609/06]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche)

The Local Government (Water Pollution) Act 1977 (Water Quality Standards for Phosphorus) Regulations 1998 require local authorities and the EPA to take all such steps as may be appropriate to secure compliance by 2007 with prescribed standards of water quality in relation to rivers and lakes. The measures to be taken to meet these standards are determined by local authorities and the EPA acting in accordance with the relevant statutes.

Where the Regulations require the achievement of improved water quality in a river, the prescribed target standard can be achieved on the basis of improved biological quality or median concentration of phosphate. The median concentration is to be determined generally using a minimum of ten samples taken at intervals of four weeks or longer in a 12 month period. The Regulations do not require that the prescribed phosphate concentration levels be achieved on every sampling occasion.