Vol. 501 No. 4
33 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to two European guidebooks which refer to the standard of Irish tap water as poor; if his Department will investigate the matter in view of the possible damage of these references; the steps, if any, he will take to allay fears among visitors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3579/99]
As I indicated in the reply to Question No. 231 of 9 February 1999, I am aware of a recent newspaper report which refers to adverse comments contained in two European tourist guidebooks in relation to drinking water in Ireland. The reported comments regarding the quality of Irish drinking water are grossly inaccurate.
The quality of drinking water in Ireland is comprehensively monitored by local authorities under the supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA publishes a detailed annual report of the monitoring results. The latest EPA report on the quality of drinking water in Ireland, covering the year 1996, confirms the fundamentally good quality of Irish drinking water. In relation to public supplies, it indicated that compliance levels in respect of strictly health related parameters were above 98.5 per cent in 1996, apart from coliforms. In the case of coliforms, the compliance levels were 92.4 per cent, representing a slight improvement on the 1995 position. The report acknowledges that there are quality problems in the private group supply sector which supplies drinking water to about 5 per cent of households in Ireland.
The quality problems associated with the private group supply sector are being tackled in a comprehensive manner under the rural water programme. Thirty million pounds has been allocated to the programme in 1999, an increase of £7 million on 1998.
A programme of substantial capital investment is being pursued for the purpose of providing and upgrading water supply schemes to cater for demands generally and ensure compliance with the quality standards of the drinking water directive. Expenditure on major water schemes since 1994 has totalled over £265 million. In 1999, £275 million is being provided under the water and sewerage services investment programme overall, representing an increase of 50 per cent on expenditure in 1998 and more than double the expenditure on these services in 1996.
