The capital costs associated with the provision of infrastructure for drainage schemes dealing with waste water management and emissions — generally known as sewerage schemes — are funded under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme (WSIP). The purpose of the WSIP is to fund the provision of water services infrastructure in response to specific environmental, public health and economic needs. Sewerage schemes in urban areas usually have some spare capacity for storm water run-off from development. Systems may provide storm water drains and outfalls to prevent large volumes of storm water overloading foul sewers or sewage treatment works. To this limited extent only do sewerage schemes provide flood relief measures. Financial assistance from the EU is not available for these schemes.
The WSIP has no specific function in relation to flood prevention or relief, which is the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. However, my Department has published Guidelines for Planning Authorities on the Planning System and Flood Risk Management which are aimed at ensuring a more consistent, rigorous and systematic approach to flood risk identification, assessment and management within the planning system. I refer to the reply to Question No.280 of 1 December 2009 where further details of the Guidelines are set out.
