asked the Minister for the Environment whether his Department or the health board have responsibility to ensure the quality of water provided for group schemes; the body who are obliged to notify the members of the group scheme where pollution occurs; and the financial assistance, if any, which is available to clean up pollution.
Written Answers. - Water Pollution.
51.
A group water scheme which is not taken in charge by the sanitary authority remains in the ownership of the members who would have responsibilities in relation to the maintenance of the quality of the water and the issue of warnings if the supply becomes polluted. The local sanitary authority must be satisfied that the proposed source for a group water supply scheme is suitable and adequate for domestic and other use before grants are allocated to enable a scheme to proceed.
Sanitary authorities have certain general responsibilities under the terms of EC Directive 1820/80 relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption, in regard to the monitoring of the quality of both public and private drinking water supplies in their areas. Where sanitary authorities become aware that a supply whether public or private is unfit for human consumption, they have a duty to take all reasonable steps to warn users.
There is provision whereby my Department can pay second grants for capital works to remedy a seriously deficient water supply in an existing group scheme. Sanitary authorities can also carry out themselves or, with my consent under section 26 of the 1948 Act, can assist in the provision, improvement or maintenance of any water supply other than a public water supply.