Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2010
399 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to improve water quality in the Fingal area in view of a report identifying it as being the worst in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26432/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EPA published its report on The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland 2009 earlier this month. The report identified nine beaches which were non-compliant with the EU mandatory bathing water quality standards. Three of the nine beaches, in Balbriggan, Skerries and Sutton, are in the functional area of Fingal County Council. This compares with the situation in 2008, when four beaches in the area failed to meet the mandatory standards.
The waste water treatment plant for Balbriggan/Skerries was upgraded under the Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009. This plant came into service in mid-2008 and ultra-violet treatment was added in September 2008. The plant was licensed by the EPA in October 2009 under the Waste Water Discharge Regulations 2007; these Regulations provide a system for the licensing or certification of all discharges to the aquatic environment from sewerage systems owned, managed and operated by local authorities.
The recently published Water Services Investment Programme 2010-2012 includes a further phase of the Balbriggan-Skerries Sewerage Scheme and the Portmarnock Sewerage Scheme, both of which are at planning stage. Implementation of these measures should assist in improving the water quality at these bathing water sites.
