Thomas Byrne
Ceist:110. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new build schools with copper water pipes installed in which the water is not safe to drink. [27831/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 29 September 2016
Ceisteanna (110, 111, 112)
Thomas Byrne
Ceist:111. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools in which testing has been carried out for contamination and leaching in which copper piping has been used for drinking water. [27832/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThomas Byrne
Ceist:112. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools to which his Department is providing bottled water through office style dispensers in classrooms; the number of these which relate to copper piping; the number which relate to schools built in the past five years; the costs of replacing newly installed copper piping from the past five years; and the monthly cost of drinking water dispensers in schools. [27833/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 to 112, inclusive, together.
Under my Department’s Technical Guidance Documents it is a requirement to have the quality of drinking water tested for all new school building projects. In addition, existing schools may themselves, as a matter of routine, arrange for water testing to be carried out without recourse to my Department.
Since 2011 to date, issues have arisen with drinking water quality in 10 schools that required remediation works. The Department carried out testing and remediation works at 8 schools which are located in North Dublin. A building Contractor carried out testing and remediation works in the other 2 schools which are in County Meath.
My Department is currently funding the provision of bottled water at 2 of the North Dublin Schools and the 2 Meath Schools.
Various remedial works were carried out at each of the 8 North Dublin schools. The water has been declared safe to drink by the Local Authority at 6 of the schools. Works at the other 2 schools are now complete and resampling and final testing is awaited before the schools can avail of drinking water. The total cost of remediation works across the 8 schools where remediation has been completed amounted to €474,000 including VAT.
In the 2 Meath schools, testing was carried out on completion of a building project which revealed exceedances of copper. However, this was remediated and paid for by the contractor for the building project and re-testing now shows that the drinking water supply is negative for copper. While there is no imperative for my Department to carry out further works it has arranged for additional remediation works to be undertaken to fully address the concerns of the schools and bottled drinking water is being provided pending the completion of these works.
The 8 North Dublin schools were constructed over 5 years ago and the 2 Meath schools were constructed within the last 2 years.
The average monthly cost of providing bottled water for the 2 North Dublin schools amounted to €383 for the duration of the remedial works period. The cost of the water for the 2 Meath schools is not yet available as this provision only commenced in September but it is likely to be in the same region.
The issues uncovered in identifying the causes of these problems and specifying the necessary remedial works have been incorporated in revised School Building Technical Guidance Documents for Design Teams.