Water Quality: Statements.
Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. D. Wallace): I welcome this opportunity to comment on the position in relation to water quality and to outline the measures in place, and being developed, to protect and improve the quality of Irish waters. I am confident Members will agree these measures are the most appropriate arrangements for the purpose.
Water is one of our most precious resources. It is essential for life. We need it as a raw material for agriculture and industry. It plays an important role for amenity and recreation, for fisheries, tourism, wildlife conservation and habitat protection. Almost 200,000 visitors to Ireland annually are principally drawn by active water-based pursuits such as fishing, cruising and sailing. Angling alone accounts for almost 140,000 foreign tourists annually.
By international standards, Irish waters are in good condition. This is confirmed by the recently published Environmental Protection Agency report, Ireland's Environment – a Millennium Report. In fact Ireland's waters compare quite favourably with waters in other countries of the European Union and this applies to all our waters – rivers, lakes, canals, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwaters.
However, economic growth is leading to increasing pressures on our waters from different sources – agriculture, sewage treatment, industry and domestic activity. There are quality deficiencies in many privately sourced group water schemes. Elevated levels of nitrates are now a cause of concern in groundwaters in certain areas. Most importantly, over recent decades the incidence of slight and moderate pollution of our rivers has continued to increase. The problem is eutrophication, caused by excess inputs of phosphorus. This trend has continued up to 1997, the date of the most recent comprehensive assessment by the EPA. While EPA reports confirm the generally good condition of Irish waters, as I already said, the millennium report also sends a clear warning. It identifies eutrophication of inland waters as perhaps Ireland's most serious environmental pollution problem. There is a very real danger, therefore, that the quality of our water could be undermined by the economic and consumer activities which it supports. I am determined this will not be allowed happen. The Government is firmly committed to the necessary preventative actions alongside a vigorous programme to tackle existing pollution trends.
While two thirds of the length of our rivers are unpolluted, the remainder is affected by slight, moderate or serious pollution. For decades up to 1997 our rivers had shown a continuing deterioration. The EPA's millennium report indicates that some 32% of river channel in 1997 was affected by slight or moderate pollution. This represents an increase of 50% in the extent of such pollution over the previous decade and is largely due to excessive inputs of phosphorous. Agriculture has been identified as the single biggest contributor in this regard, but significant inputs also arise from sewage discharges and industry.
If water quality is to be protected, then all sources of pollution must be addressed and all players must participate. Everyone has a part to play in securing a high quality environment – Government, social partners, local authorities, individual citizens. A range of policies and measures is being developed by the Government to protect and improve the quality of our waters.
Since 1997, the Government has been promoting a comprehensive, catchment based national strategy to combat eutrophication in rivers and lakes. A catchment based approach to water quality enables all sources of pollution to be dealt with on a comprehensive and integrated basis. Major projects to establish monitoring and management systems are well under way in relation to loughs Derg, Ree and Leane and the rivers Boyne, Liffey and Suir. These projects are supported by appropriate infrastructural projects. The combined cost of sewerage infrastructure investment in these catchments is £162.49 million, with an investment of £6.8 million on monitoring and management systems. This expenditure is supported by European Union Cohesion Funding.
The catchment based strategy is underpinned by the phosphorus regulations made by me in 1998. The regulations require no further deterioration in the quality of rivers and lakes and improvements to be achieved by end 2007 in the condition of rivers and lakes found to be polluted during the 1995-97 period. Catchment wide initiatives provide a framework to facilitate participation by all interested parties. Real progress will also require increased awareness by all the players of their responsibilities to protect and conserve the river systems as water supply sources, salmonid fisheries, recreational and amenity resources and natural habitats. The introduction of a monitoring and management system is not, of course, an end in itself. The ultimate objective is to achieve and maintain good water quality in all waters.
I am glad to say that some encouraging developments are now emerging. Catchment management is beginning to show early positive results in some locations. Water quality in Lough Derg, for example, has improved significantly and the improvement appears to be continuing. However, we are not about to rest on our laurels. The Government is committed to a new drive to improve water quality. I am now expanding the catchment based approach to include not only rivers and lakes but all waters, including groundwaters, estuaries and coastal waters. I want to see catchment based projects established in the short to medium term for all our waters so we can deal on a nationwide basis with all sources of pollution and human impacts. Accordingly, my Department is actively encouraging local authorities to bring forward appropriate proposals for water management projects which cover all inland and coastal waters. I am heartened by the positive response of local authorities to date and I look forward to significant progress during the coming year on the establishment of broadly based catchment management projects.
Achieving good water quality will be substantially advanced by the major programme of capital expenditure by local authorities and my Department, supported by European Union funds, under the water services investment programme. The National Development Plan, 2000-06, includes provision of an unprecedented £3,000 million for water supply, including rural water and waste water infrastructure. This is three times the amount under the 1994-99 national development plan. The major portion of this expenditure will be directed to investment in the provision and upgrading of waste water treatment facilities. This investment programme provides the basis for systematically tackling and eliminating pollution from untreated or inadequately treated discharges of sewage to our rivers, lakes and coastal waters. It will also largely complete our implementation of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, one of the most important pieces of EU legislation for environmental protection. Large-scale projects are now being advanced in respect of all our major cities and towns, including Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Dundalk and Drogheda. These areas account for approximately 80% of urban waste water arisings.
The most recent report of the EPA on drinking water quality covered the year 1998 and confirmed the fundamentally good quality of drinking water in public supplies to the vast majority of the population. It also highlighted difficulties with the quality of privately owned group water schemes. These supply some 50,000 rural households, or 5% of households nationally. The Government acknowledges this situation is not acceptable and is determined to confront and remedy these problems. A major programme of activities is in train under the rural water programme for this purpose. Record investment of £420 million is provided under the national development plan for rural water. The bulk of this funding will be targeted at remedying deficiencies in the group water schemes.
On 27 March my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey, unveiled a radical revamp of the grant and subsidy schemes which support the group water sector. Under this package water disinfection and filtration equipment qualifies for 100% capital grants. With this support group schemes will now be in a position to provide state of the art technology to bring their water up to EU standards. In addition, 85% capital grants are being provided for the upgrading of distribution systems, provision of source protection measures and extension of group networks to houses currently dependent on private individual supplies. Another key facet of the rural water programme is the intensive monitoring of private sources used by group schemes to determine causes of pollution and assist in the development of appropriate source protection measures. I will shortly make regulations to impose more stringent requirements on suppliers of drinking water and to establish a clear statutory timeframe within which permanent improvements must be achieved to rectify all deficiencies in drinking water quality.
The successful implementation of the rural water programme is dependent on a vibrant partnership approach between the group sector and local authorities working together to achieve a common objective. In this context a national rural water monitoring committee representative of local authorities, the national federation of group water schemes and the rural organisations has been established to advise on policy and oversee the implementation by local authorities of the annual rural water programme. In addition, the national federation of group water schemes is being supported financially by my Department in implementing its development and training programme.
The national development plan also makes substantial provision for schemes operated by my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Deputy Joe Walsh, which address in particular phosphorus inputs from agriculture. No less than £1.5 billion is being provided for the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, and £147 million for the new scheme for the management of farmyard waste. Nutrient management planning is being promoted on a widespread basis under the REPS, which also provides for the protection and maintenance of watercourses and wells, limitations on the use of herbicides and pesticides and more extensive cultivation of tillage crops. The new farm waste management scheme will promote better waste management facilities on farms.
Such measures are already showing results. There has been a reduction of 20% since 1996 in the use of phosphorus fertilisers. Agriculture continues however to be the largest single source of water pollution and greater efforts are required.
I am glad that several local authorities are giving active consideration to the making of by-laws under the water pollution Acts to combat pollution from agricultural activities. Cork County Council took the lead by making by-laws in 1999. I hope many more local authorities will follow its example.
I urge farmers to exercise care in slurry spreading at all times and avoid spreading where weather conditions are unsuitable. Dry soil conditions are required to absorb slurry. Slurry spreading in wet conditions runs completely contrary to good farming practice and creates a high risk of losses to waters and serious water pollution. Slurry should not be spread near watercourses. All facilities for the storage of waste or silage effluent should be checked and maintained in good condition. Our fish stocks are particularly vulnerable to pollution in summer months when water levels are low. I appeal for vigilance on the part of farmers and farming contractors to protect our waters.
I indicated that recent monitoring results show elevated levels of nitrates in groundwaters in certain locations. The level of nitrates is approaching or, in some cases, exceeding the limits set in EU legislation in certain areas. The nitrates directive requires that additional measures be put in place to protect water quality in areas where waters are polluted or susceptible to pollution by nitrates from agriculture. The primary objective is to ensure better management of manures and fertilisers. My Department has liaised closely with other interested bodies in this regard, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Geological Survey of Ireland. I expect to be in a position shortly to make a detailed statement as to the location of affected waters and the action which will be taken to protect them.
A major aspect of water management which merits attention is the proposed EU framework directive on water policy which is nearing the final stages of adoption. The directive will impose formal requirements on member states to address water management on the basis of catchments or river basins rather than on the basis of administrative or legal boundaries. It will require the preparation of river basin management plans with broad terms of reference to address the management and protection of water quality and aquatic ecosystems in a river basin and to promote the sustainable use of water resources.
The development and implementation of river basin management plans will require a high degree of co-ordination and co-operation between public authorities and other stakeholders as well as extensive public consultation and participation. Ireland is well placed to implement this approach. Our catchment based national strategy is very much in line with EU thinking on how to deal with water pollution problems. The experience we have gained in relation to catchment based projects will be of considerable assistance in the implementation of the proposed EU framework directive on water policy.
In so far as industrial discharges are concerned local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency are now required to review any licence in respect of a discharge to a water body affected by the requirements of the phosphorus regulations. Local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency have been advised of the need to identify at an early stage the measures required of licensees so that licensees can provide for the planning necessary to ensure the target reductions in phosphorus levels can be achieved over the timeframe allowed for compliance with the quality standards.
An important and welcome development is the voluntary agreement concluded in December last year by my Department with the detergents industry in relation to phosphorus in laundry detergents. The agreement provides for the phasing out of the marketing in Ireland of phosphate based laundry detergents and their replacement by zero phosphate products. The targets are for 55% replacement by mid-2000 and 90% by the end of 2001 with further reductions thereafter. The agreement marks a significant contribution to the reduction of the phosphorus load to our waters.
The European Commission recently published a composite report on the quality of bathing water for the 1999 bathing season. The report indicates that 98.3% of our bathing sites complied with the mandatory values laid down in the bathing water directive with 100% of our inland sites complying. The percentage complying with the more strict guide values rose sharply from 80.2% to 89.2% in 1999. These are very impressive and encouraging results. They are among the best across the European Union.
Recently, 70 blue flags were awarded to Irish beaches and five to Irish marinas, a testament to the excellent facilities available in Ireland. The blue flag has become a symbol throughout Europe of clean bathing water but other criteria also apply. The award of a blue flag requires, for example, proper facilities and equipment for life saving and first aid, good litter management and the dissemination of environmental information to the public. Although the overall number of blue flags awarded this year is slightly down, there has been a steady improvement in bathing water quality throughout the 1990s.
The increasing levels of eutrophication in our rivers and lakes did not happen overnight. It will clearly take some time to reverse recent trends. I am confident that the strategy and statutory provisions now in place provide a firm basis for tackling the causes of the eutrophication problem. Our long-term objective is to achieve and maintain good quality status in all waters. I am fully committed to delivering on all the commitments in our catchment based strategy and I am confident that these initiatives will deliver on their objectives.
I welcome the Minister of State. There is a sense of déjà vu because it is not long since we discussed this topic. Nevertheless it is of such national importance that it is worthwhile to revisit it often in order to ascertain what the Government is doing and if its actions are effective. The Minister of State should note the importance of water quality to the people. Let me quote some figures from the EPA booklet which reflect their level of awareness of and attitudes to water quality in comparison with other pollutants. In Europe 20% are aware that cars cause air pollution. The figure for Ireland is 16%. In Europe 27.5% are aware of water pollution. The figure for Ireland is 36.3%. This indicates that it would be well worth the Government's while ensuring it is eliminated.
The Minister of State said that, judging from the EPA report, Ireland is doing extremely well in comparison to Europe but it is false to compare ourselves with anybody else. For many years we had water of the highest quality which was untainted. Two thirds of the world is covered in water, most of which is saline which means that it is not drinkable. If my figures are correct only 2.3% is drinkable, most of which is locked in the ice caps. This leaves a figure of about 0.01% which is unevenly distributed. There are parts of the world which continually suffer from droughts but that has not happened to us. Perhaps that is the reason we have been so lackadaisical during the years about water quality and considered it to be a natural asset and topic of conversation, but this complacency has caused much damage.
I mentioned in the House about two years ago that Friends of the Earth had accused the Government of not doing its job. It said that the EPA was not conducting sufficient pollution examinations. The quality of the examinations was also inadequate. It also complained to the EU about the Environmental Protection Agency with regard to the irregularities in the drinking water monitoring regime in Ireland and about the infrequency of sampling. It said that based on the Environmental Protection Agency's report on the quality of drinking water in Ireland, published for the years 1993, 1994 and 1995, it is apparent that some local authorities are applying an unacceptably low monitoring frequency in respect of most of the water supplies for which they are responsible. It outlines a significant number in this regard, looking at the number of samples taken, the type of samples, the poor sampling techniques and the laboratory practices involved. It concluded that the EPA was not carrying out its work properly. As a result, it took the Government to the European courts. I understand Ireland is to be prosecuted, despite the money invested by the Government and efforts by the Department of the Environment and Local Government to try to address the problem of pollution.
The pollution problem is extraordinary. The Minister of State said that Ireland compares well with the rest of Europe. However, the rivers are becoming increasingly polluted. Yesterday, I was informed by my colleague, Senator Costello, that the River Tolka was polluted with a fish kill of over 2,000. This indicates how important this issue is, not just as regards drinking water but also from a fishing and tourism point of view.
The Minister of State can cite all the figures he wishes, but the Government is not addressing the issues involved. Pollution is caused by a number of factors. It is mainly caused, as the Minister of State has admitted, by farming practices, for example by the spraying of slurries into the water base at the wrong time of the year and by the maintenance of slurry in tanks that cannot hold it and are breaking down resulting in leakages into the water base. It is also caused by the spread of raw sewage into rivers. I invite the Minister of State to Galway city where I will indicate to him points in the rivers where sewage from houses is deposited. That problem is being slowly addressed, but it indicates that we are not up to date in practice.
The recent EPA reports says enough is not being done and that our practices are not good enough. According to an article in The Irish Times, the water in Lisdoonvarna was likened to chardonnay – in colour, not taste. Visitors thought they were getting something very cheap, but it is not the kind of thing we want to show tourists.
The Government is being take to the European courts because of inadequate sampling and bad sampling practices. Those concerned believe it to be the case. No matter what the Minister of State says, the Government is not doing enough, nor is it acting fast enough. It is afraid to tackle the problem where it originates.
When he returns to the House to debate this matter, I ask the Minister of State to provide an EPA report that indicates we are the best in Europe. We can be the best in Europe. Thirty years ago if people bought a bottle of water in a restaurant, they would have been considered poseurs. Now there is surprise if they do not because nobody will drink tap water.
Recently, a number of people have opposed the chlorination of water. However, if many of the water supplies throughout the country were not chlorinated the health of the people drinking from them would be endangered. Other issues also need to be addressed.
The facts speak for themselves. The EPA has expressed concern about inadequate water quality. Friends of the Earth is taking Ireland to court and it appears it will win its case. These alone are enough to condemn the Government for its inadequate policy on clearing up our waters.
The Minister has attended the House to debate a number of environmental matters, including the very important issue of water quality. In his address to the House, he outlined that water is one of our most precious resources. It is essential for life and its importance to the economy from a tourism point of view has been highlighted.
The Minister of State has addressed the issue honestly. While there are problems, they are not of recent origin but go back a long time. We are debating the initiatives that have been taken, most of which have been sponsored by the Minister of State, to address what is, and has been, an unsatisfactory situation.
In 1998 the Minister of State introduced the phosphorous regulations, one of the main initiatives taken to tackle the significant phosphorous content in water, which is deleterious to quality. He set a target of significantly reducing the effects of phosphorous on our rivers and in our waters by 2007. At present, approximately one third are polluted. That target, and the measures being effected, will be trusted when we see progress. Since 1996 there has been a 20% reduction in the use of phosphorous fertiliser. People are taking heed. The same developments are happening with regard to detergents.
These initiatives require funding. The national development plan will provide £3 billion for the period 2000-06, which is three times greater than previous sums that have been made available. Much of the public water supply is of good quality and compares well with quality elsewhere, although the questions that have arisen about the use of additives to the water supply need to be checked.
Most of the difficulties and problems experienced are in the area of group water schemes. The Minister of State has made considerable funding available to address this issue. It is important to highlight that only 5% of households approximately are involved, although this is not to understate the seriousness of the issues. The blue flag status for many beaches and marinas – regrettably my county lost some this year – was not lost because of a deterioration in the quality of water, but because of non-compliance with administrative procedures in the dissemination of environmental information, which was not done in accordance with the criteria laid down.
However, there are serious issues to be addressed. In conjunction with local authorities, the Minister of State and his Department are obligated, as the agencies responsible, for implementing many of the EU directives. A broad range of directives deal with water quality. The statutory responsibility for water management and protection rests primarily with the local authorities. I concur with some of what Senator Coogan said in that the policing and monitoring of the regulations needs to be addressed in a more emphatic manner. The Minister of State should encourage local authorities in this regard. He outlined how Cork County Council and other county councils have taken initiatives which should be replicated by all local authorities.
It is regrettable that the strategic policy committees, which are fundamental to the new local government system, are still being resisted at official level by certain sectional interests employed in local government. These initiatives, all of which can be used for these issues and problems, should be implemented fully and allowed achieve their potential. Anything the Minister can do to realise their potential by overcoming objectives from officials would be a step in the right direction.
Mention was made of the Environmental Protection Agency, which has an important role to play. As a consequence of the rapidly expanding urban populations, many local authority water treatment facilities are under severe pressure. In many instances they are unable to cope with the increasing volumes of waste. This is obviously a source of pollution in rivers and lakes.
In rural areas there is a continuing threat to the aquatic environment from the intensive livestock rearing and dairying sectors which generate large quantities of high-strength waste, the bulk of which is disposed of by spreading on land without pretreatment. It is not surprising, therefore, that recent surveys of fresh waters throughout the State show a continuing increase in the length of the water channel subject to slight and moderate pollution and highlight eutrophication as the main problem to be addressed by management measures. While this deterioration in the quality of the aquatic ecosystem is relatively minor in many cases, it signals a change from the near pristine conditions which obtained in many areas up to the 1970s. I suppose to some extent we are paying the price of increased population and development. Measures which perhaps were apt and relevant some decades ago need to be looked at and strengthened for the future, and the Minister rightly addressed many of those areas.
The main threat presented by these developments concerns the health of the game-fish stocks, which are not favoured by the more productive waters resulting from artificial enrichment. There are already signs that the population of these fish is declining in some waters and this appears to be linked to eutrophication. On his last visit to the House and again today the Minister highlighted the need to address this and outlined initiatives he has taken in this regard. Obviously the emphasis needs to be continued in that area because it is one of the main target areas in improving water quality.
In recent times the phosphorus standards of rivers and lakes have been tackled with EU support. There have been studies of monitoring and management systems in a number of catchments, including those of loughs Ree and Derg on the River Shannon and Lough Leane in Killarney. These and other measures dealing with improvements to sewage and industrial waste treatment and nutrient management on farms are designed mainly, but not solely, to minimise the loading of phosphorus on surface waters. An indication of the efficacy of such measures has been provided by recent studies in the Lough Conn catchment area. Certainly efforts are being made in that direction.
Despite what Deputy Coogan stated, the Government has undertaken a wide range of initiatives. As I said, the provision of £420 million to improve group water schemes is significant. Of course that is not the only provision. The Minister highlighted the huge investment which is set out in the national development plan. It is worth pointing out also that as recently as 1996 as little as £8.5 million was provided for rural water schemes whereas in 1999 no less than £38 million was provided.
The Government is also developing comprehensive county level strategies involving intensive examination of all rural water supply systems to ensure that public health is safeguarded in all group schemes and that the principle of best practice is given widespread application in all aspects of the management and operation of private group water schemes. They are determined to resolve the problem of poor water quality in group water schemes and ensure that the people of rural Ireland enjoy clean uncontaminated drinking water. In March 2000, the Government announced major increases in grants and subsidies to banish substandard water supplies. The grant for each affiliated dwelling increases from £1,600 per house to 85% of the approved construction cost, subject to a cost limit of £6,000 per house. The Minister also announced a new 100% capital grant for disinfection and filtration equipment for substandard group water schemes. Therefore, initiatives are being taken which are backed by the provision of the necessary resources to achieve the objectives being set. Undoubtedly it is an important area to which the Minister has given serious priority. We should congratulate him on his efforts to date and encourage him to continue the effort being made to ensure that the quality of water for drinking and in the rivers and lakes is pristine.
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Dan Wallace. I also read the fine Environmental Protection Agency's millennium report, but I think the Minister produced the best of its figures rather than some of those which were alarming, or perhaps he has given it a certain gloss.
I am delighted to hear of the efforts the Government will make regarding improving water supplies and inland waterways which are polluted. As the Minister of State said, the quality of estuarine and coastal waters was relatively good, which was extremely cheering, but we could be less than sanguine about the situation of inland waterways and rural water schemes, which are in a bad state in over 35% of the country. I was delighted to hear of the amount of money the Minister will provide for these schemes. At present they are infected by e.coli and in some instances e.coli 0157, which is a killer bug, has been found. Cryptosporidium, streptococci and clostridia have also been found in rural water schemes. These are seriously dangerous bacteria.
The main problem with many of these small water schemes has been pollution by sewage. In many cases this is caused by septic tanks which were ill-sited in the first place, which were not maintained or which have become too old and need to be replaced. I did not see much in the Minister of State's speech about serious consideration being given to specific septic tanks and, if necessary, the steps being taken to remedy the damage they are causing.
There is also the problem of pollution by animals encroaching on the sites of water supplies. This is a common problem in rural Ireland and I do not think the significance of it is understood by many people. It is important, therefore, to educate those on whose land rural water supplies begin. I do not think they fully understand the damage that animal faeces which gets into the water at that level causes to the ground water, which of course is important to the supply of drinking water.
The monitoring of e.coli is always taken as important because that shows that there is contamination by sewage, but I would like to think that in this day and age we were doing a little more to try to find out the level of herbicides and pesticides in these supplies. Indeed, we do little in the way of measurement of herbicides in particular – I suggest that we have got to the stage where we really need to get going on that because they are quite widely used.
The Minister of State pointed out that the major problem with the pollution of water is of course phosphorus, followed by nitrate. On agriculture, the Minister of State stated that there has been a 20% reduction in the amount of phosphates used on the land, and indeed this is most welcome. I have seen reports which state that there is a five year oversupply of phosphate in some parts of the country. I had thought that Teagasc would monitor the level of phosphate and nitrate within soils on farms in Ireland and give farmers these readings, but I have not heard any more about it. It is a matter of concern to me. Initiatives are undertaken which may or may not begin but we receive very little information on the monitoring and that is a problem.
Groundwater pollution from phosphorous is almost always due to pollution from animal rearing. One extraordinary aspect is that pig and poultry rearing enterprises are subject to integrated pollution control monitoring. However, they are much less polluting than cattle rearing enterprises because the slurry from cattle is of greater volume than that from pig and poultry rearing enterprises. Is it not time to bring cattle rearing under integrated pollution control? That could be extraordinarily important. The Minister of State is correct to say that the rural environment protection scheme assists in this regard in that the cattle are outdoors more and are much more dispersed. However, only a certain number of farms are involved in REPS and it may be difficult to get others involved.
I am glad to see the efforts of the Minister of State to tackle sewage and industrial waste. The treatment of sewage is very important in the context of inland waterways, but not enough atten tion is paid to the pollution which occurs in small rivers and streams. Senator Coogan pointed out that, even in Galway, one can still see the sewage from individual houses going into rivers. Sewage is still not treated in some villages and towns in Ireland. Only primary treatment, which removes large solid waste, is available in others. Tertiary treatment, where sewage is aerated, which helps improve the bacteriological content of the sewage so that the organic matter is broken down more, is available in some towns, but the number of places where tertiary treatment units are in place is very small. I understood that tertiary treatment units were only in place in towns with 10,000 or more inhabitants and if so, this leaves out a large number of places, some of which may be dormitory towns for Dublin and other areas. The south-east and the Shannon basin seem to have the worst problem with sewage pollution in small rivers and streams. We should decrease the size of towns or villages in which good sewage treatment is installed. I hope money is given to encourage this as quickly as possible because, as the Minister of State will have seen from the Environmental Protection Agency report, serious pollution frequently takes place far upriver.
Is there any monitoring of the spread of slurry? I cannot be the only Senator who has seen slurry being spread in pouring rain. Is it monitored and are there any sanctions against the people who spread slurry at such times? It goes straight into the watercourses and, if the rainfall is bad enough, fish kills occur as a result. That is extremely sad considering the efforts made by the regional fisheries boards to improve fisheries. Nitrates are another major problem in groundwater and none of our sewerage schemes remove them from sewage. I may be wrong but I have not heard of any that do so. There is a need to remove phosphates and nitrates in sewerage schemes. We do not have enough respect for groundwater and it is important to remember that groundwater is important for the food processing industry in many places. Furthermore, we are not sufficiently careful about the siting of tanks for chemicals and hydrocarbons for petrol stations and such places. Recent legislation has been good in this regard and I am sure those installations being constructed at present are being properly installed. Nonetheless, one must wonder about the leachate from old plants which have existed for 30 or 40 years and whether a better effort should be made to deal with them.
The Minister of State did not mention it but the EPA report mentioned problems due to mining. Mining is on the increase and the Avoca River is the worst affected in the country. Nothing can grow beside it and the water is crystal clear despite the copper and iron mining. A disastrous decision was taken to put rubbish into the mine and that meant there was no control over what came out. Those who promote such action in the Silvermines area have not examined the situation carefully enough. I have listened to those who say waste can be managed by placing huge plastic liners around major dumps, but I would be sceptical about that. It is a huge risk to take with our water quality by placing dumps in areas where the leachate could affect the aquifers.
The Minister of State mentioned the eutrophication of lakes and rivers. It is a great pity that some of those affected are very important for tourism, such as loughs Leane and Sheelin, and that despite huge efforts from local authorities, eutrophication recurs, especially as a result of agriculture. Greater education and much stricter controls are needed if prolonged success is to be achieved in this respect. The Minister of State said Lough Derg is improving and I am glad to hear that because Lough Ree is in a bad state. One amusing aspect is the fact that the infestation of zebra mussels has assisted in tackling the eutrophication of loughs Ree and Derg because the mussels eat the algae. However, we do not know what they will do next. They may jump out of the water and bite us around the ankles, so I do not encourage people to put zebra mussels into the lakes of Ireland where they were not known before. The Minister of State said the canals are in remarkably good shape, but we must be careful that the pollution of feeder streams does not cause trouble for them.
It is appalling to witness the fish kills which take place during summer during hot weather when the water level is lower. It must be soul destroying for those who make such huge efforts in promoting the sport of angling in the areas where the kills occur. I understand the position with salmon has improved enormously in some rivers due to the curtailment of drift-netting. I would like to think we could reach a position where the fish stocks in our rivers improved.
I agree with Senator Coogan that we must be concerned about the flavour and appearance of our water. I do not remember which department it was in the Dublin Institute of Technology but someone there produced a splendid little device for measuring the turbulence within water, which shows how much organic matter is present in it. Perhaps some of these devices could be purchased by the Minister of State's Department to allow for greater monitoring. It would be well worthwhile. I also agree with Senator Coogan that the amount of bottled water drunk in this country is astonishing. That said, I have been able to go back to tap water in the notorious Dublin 4 because the taste has improved. At one stage it tasted of nothing but TCP, but the flavour at present is much better. As a doctor, I must advise people that it is a good idea to have the contents of bottled waters inspected. In some cases, as regards pollutants, one would be better off drinking tap water. Our public supply has been very good from the point of view of cleanliness. It is just that, as Senator Coogan said, the taste and the colour are occasionally off-putting.
I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Dan Wallace, to the House and the legislation which he and the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, have put through since taking office. They must be complimented on the work they are doing.
While many people are critical of the quality of water, we have come a long way over the past 40 to 45 years. It is not too long ago that people in rural areas had no water facilities and people in towns and villages had only the use of the village pump. We are in the process of changing the lead pipes which run through towns and villages to upgrade the quality of water. People are entitled to good clean drinking water and it is something for which we were always highly recommended. From a tourism viewpoint, people value Ireland's beauty and the cleanliness of our lakes and rivers and that is an image we must uphold.
Recently there were water problems in Killarney but the local authority immediately removed the algae from the system and it is working successfully. I welcome the Government's injection of substantial amounts of money in purification and treatment systems. When the economy was crippled in the mid-1980s we sought money for various projects without success. With the growth in the economy money should be put to good use. For example, it should be put into our infrastructure, sewerage and water treatment plants. I welcome the Government's announcement regarding the allocation of large sums of money, particularly the £440 million in the national development plan for the upgrading and renewal of rural water schemes. It will be welcomed by many others also. I compliment the Minister and the Government for highlighting rather than hiding the problem and for tackling it.
Mention was made of bathing and other waters and rightly so. The quality of these waters must be examined. Children should be cherished and we must ensure that our rivers and lakes are safe for bathing. I was pleased to learn that our rivers and lakes are 100% safe and other bathing waters are 98% safe. This is a huge achievement. Senator Walsh mentioned the recent announcement of the loss of blue flag status. Naturally, a debate was called for on this issue by the Opposition. They will try to blame the Government but it turns out that the local authority was responsible for the loss of blue flags, particularly in counties Wexford and Louth. I am proud to say Kerry got 13 blue flags this year and our beaches are top class. Anybody who wishes to visit Kerry during the summer and use our bathing facilities is more than welcome. I compliment my local authority on the way it monitored the blue flag beaches. It informed us recently that there must be ongoing monitoring every two months or so. The reason blue flags were lost was that local authorities did not see that through. This was due to a breakdown in administration, not to the poor quality of water. We should try to get more blue flags as that status is something which people want.
I commend the Government's determination to resolve the problem of poor quality drinking water in group schemes and to ensure people can enjoy clean, uncontaminated drinking water. I welcome the introduction of increased grants for such schemes. Mention was made earlier of the fact that it is the norm to order a bottle of drinking water with a meal, something that was not done in the past. There is a rural group water scheme in my area of Kerry from which half of north Kerry appears to take water because it is suppose to be champagne water. Any time I go to a hostelry I look for it as it is special water. Such schemes should be in operation.
I welcome the Government's initiative to tackle the problems. Money is available, and rightly so, to upgrade our sewerage and treatment plants. We should try to make our drinking water 100% clean.
I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I recognise his efforts and those of his counterparts in Government regarding the investment in water schemes and the commitment in the national development plan to improve rural and major water and sewerage schemes. Without reiterating what has been said, it is important to say water is a fundamental need. I agree with the concept that we are above comparisons with Europe because our population is low. We are an island surrounded by water and we have a responsibility for monitoring and working with what we have. Any deterioration in an island with a population of 4.5 million needs to be corrected. It should be a great challenge for us because it is one of our prime structures.
I recently met the Chinese ambassador to Ireland. It was interesting to note that she asked about the west of Ireland, rural development, the quality of water and the environment. I said that she must have major challenges in setting out policy. She inquired as to the population of the west of Ireland and I told her it would be in the region of 750,000 to one million people. I asked what would be the population of the west of China and she said that policy is being made for 300 million people. The scale of what must be done and our challenge is not enormous but it is fundamentally important.
In my recent visit to Tipperary during the by-election I looked at the quality of the rivers in Clonmel and I was interested that there were some trout there. There is a need for a high level of education, legislation and good example. We have some fine quality waters. If one looks at the present agricultural practices one will realise the amount of investment which has been put into this area. We understand the challenge which exists. One of the major challenges is to have an integrated policy and sustainable planning of social, economic and environmental practice. That should be the fundamental principle of attacking and approaching this practice, particularly under the Agenda 21 policy of local authorities. Local authorities have not played a strong enough role in the past but I think they are ready to do so now. I welcome the Minister's statement that he will make a major announcement regarding nitrates and that he will identify the areas which need specific management under catchment management plans in the water framework directive, that they will be specifically named, set out and that structures will be put in place to deal with and manage these areas. If we do that we can make a genuine input into maintaining the quality of property there.
The recent initiative by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development regarding the types of payments for farmers in disadvantaged areas in particular is to be welcomed. Paying on an acreage rather than a headage basis is an investment in the future environment of this country. It will reduce the numbers involved, which is very important. We have found that the quality of water in some of the finest areas of rural Ireland has deteriorated and is polluted with e-coli and other bacteria. The changes being negotiated are fundamental to the long-term improvement of water quality in our lakes and rivers.
Substantial legislation and directives are being introduced in this area at global and European level. We must challenge this issue at local level. I welcome the Minister's indications of further decision-making in that regard. In my opinion, the Environmental Protection Agency has done very little up to now. Local authorities have breached many laws in relation to landfill dumps, contamination of public water supplies etc. There have been no subsequent prosecutions and we must face up to such problems. It will cost a great deal of money but it will be an investment in our future. Everybody must share the responsibility. With a population of only 4.5 million people it should not present a major challenge. The resources are available and such an investment will prove itself in the long term. Local authorities are strong enough to meet the challenges and changes required in some agricultural practices. We must all play our part. I welcome the Minister's strong interest in this matter.
An Leas-Chathaoirleach
When is it proposed to sit again?
At 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 21 June 2000.
