Vol. 409 No. 6
18 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself that the country will not face water shortages again this summer; the steps he has taken since last year to ensure an adequate water supply for each local authority area; the amount of money allocated for water provision and augmentation since last summer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The water shortage difficulties that affected a number of areas throughout the country during 1990 were due primarily to the low rainfall during that year. My Department are in close contact with local authorities with a view to developing proposals that will provide a greater guarantee of supply to consumers.
During 1990, £31 million was spent by my Department in providing new and improved water supply schemes throughout the country. I also approved contract documents for schemes to go to tender valued at £46 million. In addition, I approved tenders valued at £33 million for schemes to go to construction.
During the current year I have allocated grants totalling £36 million to fund the major schemes construction programme. I have also allocated £1.47 million for water schemes under the small schemes programme.
Over the longer term, the environment action programme announced the Government's decision to spend up to £300 million between now and the year 2000 on new and improved water supply schemes. Implementation of this programme will greatly improve both the quality and security of water supply to communities around the country.
Since the Minister is not going to claim responsibility for the deterioration of the weather which will result in an improvement in water supplies, can he assure the House notwithstanding the sanctioning of the moneys to which he referred in his reply — some of the schemes will not be given effect until the year 2000 — that we will not see a repeat of severe water shortages in a number of urban areas? Is that what he is saying?
What I am saying is that water shortages were experienced in a number of areas during 1990, most notably in Dublin. The water level at the reservoir at Roundwood was at its lowest for many years and in an effort to increase supplies, water was supplied from Ballymore Eustace and Leixlip. Water levels are back to normal at present but the position has to be monitored very carefully. As the Deputy is aware, work is in progress on a major augmentation scheme at Ballymore Eustace. Additional supplies will be made available as a result. We expect to be in a position to monitor the position with a view to averting water shortages, if at all possible, this year.
We should be exporting water.
A final question from Deputy Quinn.
Let me ask my question in another way. Is the Minister aware that people living in third and fourth floor flats in inner city areas had not a water supply for most of the working day during the past year? In the light of all the information available to him, can he now tell the House there will be no water shortages in Dublin this summer?
I cannot guarantee that. The Deputy will recognise that what I say is reasonable and will agree that very substantial moneys have been made available and approved by me in order to try to improve the situation. There is no shortage of money in so far as making available these supplies which would increase the volume of water for Dublin. I am pursuing the matter as quickly as I can. There is a good monitoring system in place and the water management programmes will, I think, be adequate to deal with the situation this year but as the Deputy has said, the level of rainfall in May was down very substantially on previous years and this was not good for the water supply. However, supplies are back to normal for this time but we are certainly taking very close note of the position.
If the Minister was doing his job well, we would be exporting water.
The potholes are full of water.
