Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 19 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - Dublin Water and Sewerage Services.

Mr. G. Mitchell

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter this evening. It concerns flooding at Whitehall Road, Shelton Drive and district in the Kimmage Road West area of Dublin. I have been in correspondence with both Dublin Corporation and South Dublin County Council on this matter. I received a reply on 13 June 1994 from the county engineer of South Dublin County Council which states:

I refer to your letter dated 23 May 1994, to Mr. W. Soffe, Assistant City Manager, Dublin Corporation, regarding the above. The letter has been passed to South Dublin County Council as the area referred to is within its jurisdiction.

The sewers in Shelton Drive and Whitehall Road are combined sewers i.e. they drain both surface water run-off and foul effluent. During periods of heavy rainfall there is not sufficient capacity in the sewerage system to accept the increased flows and consequently overflows occur, usually at the lowest points in the sewerage system. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the Rathmines/ Pembroke sewer into which the Whitehall Road area drains is also surcharged during heavy rainfall. I understand Dublin Corporation are examining proposals to increase the capacity of this sewer but it is not likely that these will be implemented in the foreseeable future.

The Drainage Maintenance Section of South Dublin County Council are very much aware of the problem in the Whitehall Road area and during heavy rainfall they have provided as much assistance as possible to mitigate the effects of the flooding.

The drainage design section have examined the flooding problems in the Whitehall Road area and have designed a scheme which will alleviate the problem. This scheme was submitted for approval to the Department of the Environment on the 16 May 1994 under the small schemes programme. Under this programme the Department has indicated that it will fund small schemes up to 75 per cent of the capital cost or £75,000 which is the lesser. The Department has not, as of yet, given grant approval to the scheme.

That letter precisely sets out the problem — sewage and flooding. People are finding sewage in their gardens a serious problem in an area which until 30 to 40 years ago following major housing development was a rural area. The system is not able to take the off-flow of water and sewage. On Kimmage Road West the sewers connect into the Dublin Corporation system and on into the Rathmines-Pembroke system. The problem crosses the boundary of two authorities.

I raised this matter with the Minister for the Environment on 11 October and received a reply which states, "Given the primary rural orientation of the small schemes programme, it was not possible to include this scheme for financing from this source". If the scheme is not financed from that source how can the problem be resolved? It is a serious health problem. I do not trouble the Minister often on Adjournment debates or raise matters on the Adjournment but I ask the Minister to agree to include this application under the scheme. Its inclusion would not involve a great deal of money but it would solve problems for many people who live in the area and who are experiencing difficulties because of the sewage and flooding problems. I hope the Minister will be in a position to give me good news this evening because he is the only hope for those people.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Mr. Stagg)

The area in question is predominantly urban, consisting of private residences dating from the late 1940s. Out of a total of 550 or so houses, about 150 are drained by way of a combined sewer which collects both foul effluent and surface run-off from roads, roofs and paved areas. This, in turn, discharges to Dublin Corporation's Rathmines-Pembroke sewer.

As Deputy Mitchell has indicated, effluent spillage has occurred at a number of properties along the route of the combined sewer in the wake of sudden downpours or after periods of prolonged heavy rainstorms. This problem is particularly associated with up to 20 houses which are located at points where the gradient in the sewer is poor. Sedimentation and lack of maintenance also contributes to reduced sewer flows, which in turn gives rise to surcharging which can result in flooding and effluent discharge at those properties where the cover level on house drains is lower than road surface or manhole levels.

The Minister is mindful of the concern of local householders that every effort should be made to prevent a recurrence of these problems. I understand that South Dublin County Council has, since the last flooding incident, undertaken a programme of sewer cleaning in the area and the condition of this sewer is now constantly monitored. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that while drainage works are designed and constructed to accommodate, as far as practicable, storm flows as well as dry weather flows, we can experience, from time to time, extremes of rainfall which can give rise to unwelcome and damage-causing flooding incidents.

Local authorities have ongoing programmes of maintenance and renewal of drainage and sewage collection systems. In general, they have sufficient powers and resources to respond to maintenance and renewal needs at local level without recourse to central Government for assistance. In setting priorities, the Minister has to be conscious of what is proper for central Government to fund and what can best be met from local initiative.

My Department has, in the past, responded in a very positive way to the need for urban flood relief measures in Dublin and elsewhere. Proposals from local authorities for flood relief measures are considered in the light of the financial arrangements for public water and sewerage schemes as provided for under my Department's water services programme.

A key objective of this programme is to meet the drainage and waste water treatment needs of urban areas in order to support economic activity, meet residential needs and to protect public health and the environment. The bulk of expenditure, including European Union aid as provided for under the Cohesion Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, is largely directed at meeting the water supply and sewerage needs of urban communities. The Minister is also keenly aware of the need to provide water and sewerage infrastructure outside the larger urban areas in order to meet the needs of agriculture and to support economic activity and the development of rural areas. The small schemes programme, to which Deputy Mitchell refers, is largely directed at meeting these urgent needs, particularly in cases where public water and sewerage infrastructure is either non-existent or greatly inadequate. Only limited resources are available under this sub-programme and having regard to existing commitments and the demand of schemes already prioritised for investment, it is not possible to consider schemes such as this one for approval at this time.

I am, however, concerned that incidents of this type can be avoided in future. The maintenance and monitoring arrangements being put in place by the council can be expected to help prevent a recurrence of the problem. My Department will be in touch with South Dublin County Council with a view to devising a long term solution to this and related sewer capacity problems.