Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 March 2015
223. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the degree to which necessary steps are ongoing to prevent the pollution of ground water; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9589/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive requires the extensive monitoring of groundwater quality and the inclusion of programmes of measures in each river basin management plan to ensure continuing improvement in the quality of groundwater. In transposing the Directive, the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations 2010, as amended, give legal effect to measures for the protection of groundwater.
The Water Framework Directive classification assessments have identified that the main pressures impacting on groundwater quality include the input of nutrients from diffuse sources and, to a lesser degree, historical pollution from industrial activities. Local pollution is considered to be caused primarily by farming activities and the inputs from domestic wastewater treatment systems. Pollution from agricultural sources has been targeted through significant investment by farmers and the State under the Farm Waste Management Scheme and by the implementation of the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended. Pollution from domestic waste water systems is being addressed by the requirements of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012.
The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 - 2010 provide for an authorisation system for all wastewater discharges to waters from treatment plants or collection systems owned or controlled by local authorities. The purpose of the authorisation system is to prevent and reduce pollution of waters by waste water discharges. As part of the authorisation process, the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) can place conditions on the operation of individual plants and systems and it can set emission limit values for the discharges. In December 2011, the EPA published guidance on the technical assessments that are needed to authorise discharges to groundwater, as a means of satisfying the requirements of the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations 2010, as amended.
Ongoing monitoring of groundwater quality is carried out by the EPA. The monitoring includes substances such as ammonium, nitrate and phosphate as well as faecal coliforms and pesticides. In the report "Water Quality in Ireland 2007-2009", the EPA found that overall, in comparison to previous reporting periods, pollution of groundwater was found to have decreased somewhat over the period, with reductions in nitrate and phosphate concentrations. I expect the EPA’s next such report on Water Quality to be published in the coming weeks.
