Vol. 515 No. 3
23 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proportion of urban waste water discharged without treatment; the proportion which receives (i) preliminary treatment, (ii) primary treatment, (iii) secondary treatment and (iv) secondary treatment and nutrient reduction, and the target date by which all urban waste water will be treated. [5799/00]
Section 61 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992, requires the Environmental Protection Agency to report on the quality of effluents being discharged from sanitary authority waste water facilities. The most recent report published by the agency, Urban Waste Water Discharges in Ireland – A Report for the Years 1996 and 1997, outlines details of the discharges, with a population equivalent greater than 1,000, and the level of treatment afforded to these discharges. Copies of the report are available in the Oireachtas Library. The EPA expects to publish a report in relation to 1998 and 1999 later this year.
The report established that there are 238 discharges with a population equivalent greater than 1,000 and collectively they represent a total population equivalent of more than 3.9 million.
In terms of treatment the report concluded that 39% of waste water arisings did not receive any form of treatment; 7% of waste water arisings received preliminary treatment only; 28% of waste water arisings received primary treatment only; 22% of waste water arisings received secondary treatment only; and 4% of waste water arisings received phosphorus reduction in addition to secondary treatment.
Funding for urban waste water infrastructure under my Department's water services investment programme is focused on meeting the requirements of the urban waste water treatment regulations. In line with EU legislation, these require that all waste water discharges from systems with a population equivalent to over 2,000 be treated by 31 December 2005. Priority is being given to advancing and completing work in respect of discharges from major urban centres, where an earlier deadline of 31 December 2000 applies. Priority is also being given to the nine towns discharging to inland waters designated under the regulations as sensitive to pollution and required to have more stringent than secondary treatment by the end of 1998. Nutrient reduction facilities are in place in seven of these and are being actively advanced in the remaining two.
The national development plan provides for capital expenditure of £3 billion in the period 2000-06 under our investment programme, the major portion of which will be devoted to wastewater treatment facilities. This is three times the investment for these services over the 1994-99 period. I will shortly publish the first water and sewerage services investment programme under the new national development plan and this will set out in detail the areas and schemes that will benefit in the next three years.
The Minister did not answer my original question, namely, what is the target date by which all urban waste water will be treated? Will he indicate whether such a date has been set? Will he identify the two major urban centres where treatment should have commenced by the end of 1998 and where such treatment has yet to be completed?
The Deputy must not have heard what I said. We have set a target date in line with EU legislation which requires that all waste water discharges from systems with a population of over 2,000 be treated by 31 December 2005.
With regard to his second question, I stated that priority has been given to nine towns discharging to inland waters designated under the regulations as sensitive to pollution. The towns concerned are Navan, Longford, Castlebar, Castlebar-Osberstown, Nenagh, Tullamore, Athlone, Killarney and Cavan. I do not know the names of the other two towns to which the Deputy referred but I will obtain that information for him.
I would be grateful for that. The Minister stated twice that a target date has been set. He should do himself the favour of realising that we listen intently to what he says. I heard all his original reply and I thank him for his further clarification. The Minister indicated that by 31 December 2005 waste water arisings, as they are quaintly called, from urban centres with populations of over 2,000 should be treated. He stated earlier that he has data in respect of waste water arising from urban centres with populations of over 1,000. Will he inform the House if there is a date by which waste water from urban centres with populations of less than 2,000 should be completed?
We have provided £3 billion for the period 2000-06 and, if possible, we hope to complete the process within that timeframe, even in respect of discharges from agglomerations with populations of 1,000. As stated earlier, our priority is to complete major works first. This will mean completing work in the nine towns to which I referred, proceeding to deal with areas with populations in excess of 2,000 and, if possible, carrying out works in areas with populations of less than 2,000.
There are 155 urban agglomerations with population equivalents in excess of 2,000, while 238 have population equivalents greater than 1,000. It is our aim to try to ensure that all these are treated by 2005. However, I can make no promises in that regard. It is our intention to ensure that treatment works in the 155 agglomerations with populations in excess of 2,000 will be completed.
