My Department's priorities for future investment in water supplies to serve the Dublin region is guided by the strategy set out in the greater Dublin water supply strategic study. This study has made a series of recommendations aimed at ensuring that the demand for water will be met and that satisfactory levels of service and standards will be complied with over the next 20 years. A copy of the study is available in the Oireachtas Library.
A major investment programme has been put in place to ensure that the needs of the expanding Dublin area can be met. The programme consists of the expansion of the Leixlip water treatment works, a major water conservation programme and a number of other projects to upgrade and refurbish treatment works, reservoirs and the distribution system. The Dublin schemes represent an investment in excess of £110 million and include the following projects from the 1999 water and sewerage investment programme: Bohernabreena spillways – to advance through planning;Dublin water conservation – under construction; Leixlip water treatment plant – under construction; Lucan water – to advance through planning; reservoir works at Stillorgan, Vartry and Ballyboden – to advance through planning; and Roundwood wavewall – to start construction. In addition, under the serviced land initiative, schemes submitted by the Dublin local authorities, costing £11.5 million, have been approved to extend water supplies to development land for new housing.
