Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 15 Apr 1997

Vol. 477 No. 5

Written Answers. - Water Quality.

Liam Fitzgerald

Ceist:

16 Mr. L. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he has planned to ensure the safety of water supplies in view of the Environmental Protection Agency report highlighting the frequent presence of coliforms in group water schemes. [9752/97]

Mary Harney

Ceist:

18 Miss Harney asked the Minister for the Environment his views on the quality of drinking water as recently reported; and the action, if any, he proposes to take to remedy this situation. [4991/97]

Seán Power

Ceist:

53 Mr. Power asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he will take to ensure the safety of water supplies in view of the Environmental Protection Agency report highlighting the frequent presence of coliforms in group water schemes. [5037/97]

Patrick J. Morley

Ceist:

54 Mr. Morley asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he will take to ensure the safety of water supplies in view of the Environmental Protection Agency report highlighting the frequent presence of coliforms in group water schemes. [5036/97]

Noel Dempsey

Ceist:

138 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the steps, if any, he will take to ensure the safety of water supplies in view of the Environmental Protection Agency report highlighting the frequent presence of coliforms in group water schemes. [5210/97]

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Howlin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 18, 53, 54 and 138 together.

The report of the Environmental Protection Agency on drinking water quality in 1995 indicates that overall quality continues to be satisfactory, especially in the public supplies. However, further measures to improve water quality, especially in relation to private group schemes, are needed.

The position outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency is that, apart from coliforms, compliance levels in respect of strictly health related parameters were close to or above 99 per cent in 1995. In the case of coliforms, the overall compliance level, 87.5 per cent, was a small improvement on 1994. There is no room for complacency about the limited exceedances of drinking water quality parameters identified in the report and I will be asking local authorities to ensure that intensive follow-up measures are taken where exceedances have occurred.

In September 1996, my Department wrote to sanitary authorities reiterating earlier advice that they should carry out risk assessment of water supply sources, with highest priority to be given to groundwater supplies which are in close proximity to potentially polluting sources. I have asked sanitary authorities to review their action plans for the protection of water supplies in the light of the findings of these risk assessments. In addition, my Department will continue to support the development of the integrated training programme for personnel involved in the treatment and supply of drinking water which is being promoted by the Sanitary Services National Training Group.

The Environmental Protection Agency report already referred to indicates that 43 per cent of private group water supplies suffer some degree of coliform contamination. This has arisen largely as a result of the lack of investment in water filtration and disinfection facilities. Many of these schemes were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s when cost-effective and straightforward water treatment technology was not widely available. As a result, some groups are unable to respond to the challenging task of supplying water in compliance with the standards for drinking water.

Specific measures have now been put in place to improve the quality of drinking water provided by private group schemes. Additional moneys have been provided in 1997 to start a multiannual programme which will enable local authorities, subject to the agreement of the group schemes concerned, to take over individual schemes and upgrade the quality of the supplies. The existing capital grants scheme is being maintained and will be available to support the improvement of schemes which wish to continue independent operation. Proposals in relation to subsidies towards the operational costs of group schemes and grants for private individual supplies have also been announced and are referred to in the reply to Question No. 12 on today's Order Paper. All of these measures are specifically designed to address the key issue of water quality in private group and individual water sources. I am confident that they will contribute to a major improvement in the quality and reliability of these supplies.