Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2021
305. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 317 of 1 June 2021, the meaning of developer provided wastewater infrastructure in this context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33080/21]
View answer306. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 317 of 1 June 2021, the reason the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Water Services Acts allow for the taking in charge of developer provided wastewater treatment infrastructure but the memorandum of understanding between Irish Water and local authorities does not allow the taking in charge of such infrastructure; if the memorandum of understanding will be revised in line with the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Water Services Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33086/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together.
Developer provided water services infrastructure, or DPI, refers to stand alone water services Infrastructure, such as wells, water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants and associated pumping stations, that have been provided by developers as part of housing developments and that are not connected to the public water and waste water networks for which Irish Water is responsible.
Circular Letter PL 5/2014 updated the arrangements in place to address matters related to the taking-in-charge of residential developments following the establishment of Irish Water. The Memorandum of Understanding between Irish Water and local authorities, as referenced in the question, is intended only to address the arrangements necessary for taking in charge of estates which are connected to the public water and waste water services networks run by Irish Water. It does not address housing developments which rely on DPI which must necessarily be considered separately on a case by case basis.
In this regard a multi-annual Waste Services DPI Resolution Programme was introduced in 2019 to facilitate the progressive resolution in a sustainable manner of the DPI element of water services in relevant estates with a view to supporting the taking-in-charge of the estates upon resolution.
Allocations for the first funding cycle covering the years 2019-2021 inclusive were announced in September 2020. This first funding cycle focussed on estates in towns and villages where the resolution is to connect their water services to the public networks. The programme will also support a number of pilot projects where connection is not feasible in the immediate future. These pilot projects, together with a major study currently being undertaken by Irish Water, will inform future policy considerations on resolving sub-standard DPI with sustainable solutions.
All local authorities that submitted bids were informed about the outcome of their bids in a circular which included a copy of an independent Expert Panel report on the bids process. The report provides the commentary of the Panel on their evaluation in the case of unsuccessful bids and guidance for the local authority in making future bids in upcoming programmes. The circular is available on my Department's website at the following link:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/water/water-services/circular-ldpi01-2020-approval-projects-residential-estates-under-developer
