Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 15 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 2

Written Answers. - Water Safety.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

99 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department conducts water quality tests in each health board area; if the tests include testing for giardia and cryptosporidium; if the results are available to the public; the basis on which they are available; if the South-Eastern Health Board carry out such tests; the name of the body or person who takes a prosecution or whose responsibility it is to source the point of contamination in the event of a breach of quality supply to the public; if an analysis of a public water supply to Oak Wood, Kilfera, County Kilkenny, has been carried out by the South-Eastern Health Board; if so, the result; and if his Department is responsible for maintaining EU standards in this regard. [28380/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Statutory responsibility for the provision of drinking water supplies and for upholding the prescribed quality standards is a function of the local sanitary authorities. Health boards carry out testing and sampling of water from time to time on behalf of local authorities. Water intended for human consumption is monitored for a range of health related parameters including microbiological parameters which indicate the possible presence of pathogenic micro-organisms such as cryptosporidium, giardia or salmonella. Where the results of samples taken indicate a problem with water quality the health board, in consultation with the local authority, would alert the public and advise of the remedial action being taken to protect the supply.

Prosecutions for breaches of the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977, in relation to the contamination of water supplies can be taken by a sanitary authority, a regional fisheries board or any other person affected. I am advised that the water supply referred to by the Deputy has been sampled recently by officers from the South-Eastern Health Board acting as agents of the local authority. The water samples have been sent for chemical and microbiological analysis and final results are awaited. The Department of the Environment and Local Government is responsible for transposition and implementation of European directives on water quality. The Environmental Protection Agency publishes a report annually on the quality of drinking water in Ireland.