The majority of Exchequer investment in water services infrastructure is provided to local authorities under the water services investment programme which is a rolling multi-annual programme. These programmes are developed, generally on a triennial basis, following an assessment of needs for water and waste water services conducted by each water services authority. In preparing these assessments, water services authorities are required to take into consideration key environmental and economic criteria in prioritising contracts and schemes to be progressed in their areas. The most recent assessment of need was conducted in 2009 and I published the "Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012" in April 2010. The programme details, by location, just over 130 contracts and water conservation projects in progress at the time of publication at a value of some €1 billion and a further 340 contracts to be progressed to construction over the period of the programme with a value of €1.8 billion. A copy of the Programme is available in the Oireachtas Library. This programme succeeded the Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009, under which some 125 major water services contracts/schemes were completed. Details of these completions by location are set out in Appendix 1 of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012.
The scope and format of the Programme for 2010 to 2012 is designed better to reflect ongoing environmental and economic priorities, to maximise the return on public funds being invested in the sector and to ensure that the Programme is realistic in its level of ambition. The development of this Programme involved a comprehensive review of all schemes which had not substantially advanced under its predecessor to ensure that those progressing would meet the programme priorities for the period ahead.
The contracts and schemes not included in the Programme on this occasion were those which did not feature highly on public health grounds or other environmental compliance requirements (for example those relating to European Court of Justice proceedings, or those required in the context of the River Basin Management Plans, Shellfish Pollution Production Programmes, EPA reports etc) and projects that were proposed simply for capacity expansion (which was unrelated to the National Spatial Strategy/developing areas priorities), and which in the case of water supply can be deferred, in many cases, in favour of accelerated water conservation measures. Around 135 contracts and 250 schemes were not included in the Programme for this reason, but in some instances these proposals related to further phases of contracts or schemes which are included in the Programme.
Following inclusion in the Water Services Investment Programme, my Department's involvement at individual stages of schemes can vary from two to four occasions depending on the value of the scheme. My Department approves the local authority's Design Brief and Preliminary Report for all schemes and in some instances it also approves the Contract Documents. In the case of Public Private Partnership contracts the Department, additionally, approves the local authority's Tender Recommendation. In all cases, authorities are required to seek confirmation of Departmental funding before signing contracts. The involvement of my Department at key stages is necessary to comply with the Department of Finance's Capital Appraisal Guidelines and my Department's obligations relating to management and oversight of Exchequer expenditure.
Funding for small public water and sewerage schemes and group water schemes is available to water services authorities under the Rural Water Programme. Responsibility for the examination, approval and funding of proposals for group water and sewerage schemes and for small public water and sewerage schemes has been devolved to local authorities under the Rural Water Programme since 1997. Allocations have also been made under the Rural Water Programme for small works to public water supplies which appear on the EPA's Remedial Action List because such works are necessary to address risks to the supply. Information on the progression of schemes under the Rural Water Programme may be obtained from the local authorities. Proposals for allocations under this Programme are submitted by authorities based on priorities set by my Department, in light of public health, environmental, and economic objectives and I have no plans to alter these devolved arrangements.
The 2010 Estimates provision for water services infrastructure is €508 million, of which €415 million is available under the Water Services Investment Programme and €93 million under the Rural Water Programme. Estimates for 2011 will be announced in due course.
