Vol. 568 No. 5
437 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the grants available for group sewerage and water schemes; the plans he has to review these grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16712/03]
Grants of up to 85% of the approved cost, subject to a maximum cost of €7,618.43 per house, are available for the provision of new group water schemes and the upgrading of existing schemes. In the case of group schemes that depend on quality-deficient private sources, a 100% capital grant is available for the provision of essential water treatment and disinfection equipment. Associated civil works qualify for an 85% grant. An annual subsidy towards the cost of supplying domestic water is also payable to group water schemes. There are no proposals at present to review the grant or subsidy schemes.
Group sewerage schemes may qualify for a grant of up to 75% of the approved cost, subject to a maximum grant of €2,031.58 per house. In response to the recommendations of the national rural water monitoring committee, my Department is funding a pilot programme by local authorities to test a range of new, small-scale waste water collection and treatment systems, based on design-build-operate procurement, as a means of meeting the requirements of small rural communities. Subject to a satisfactory outcome of the pilot testing, the committee envisages a potential role for group sewerage schemes in the collection of domestic waste water from households outside the immediate catchment area of the new treatment systems. Any review of the associated grants must await the outcome of the pilot programme.
Question No. 438 answered with Question No. 129.
