Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 April 2017
314. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015- 2040, the increased compliance with the drinking water microbiological standards from the baseline of 99.82% to 99.99% by the end of 2021 will be achieved. [18123/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra315. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, the removal of all boil water notices by 2021 will be achieved. [18124/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra316. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, the increase in the compliance rate for trihalomethanes in drinking water from the baseline of 90.31% to 93% by 2021 and to 99% by 2027 will be achieved. [18125/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra317. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, the plan to reduce the current leakage rate of approximately 49% of treated drinking water to less than 38% by 2021, to less than 30% by 2027 and to achieve a sustainable economic level of leakage by 2040 will be achieved. [18126/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra318. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, the increase in the compliance rate for lead in drinking water which is estimated at between 85% to 95% will achieve 98% compliance by the end of 2021 and 99.90% compliance by 2027. [18127/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra319. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, the plan to improve the standard of urban waste water treatment to meet the requirements of the urban waste water treatment directive from the current low baseline of 39% compliance to 90% compliance by 2021, 99% compliance by 2027 and to 100% compliance by 2040 will be achieved. [18128/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra320. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, he will provide an appropriate level of sewage treatment for the 44 urban agglomerations currently discharging raw sewage to waters by 2021. [18129/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra321. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, 100% of the operational and capital efficiency targets identified by the Commission for Energy Regulation by 2021 will be met. [18130/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra322. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether, under the Water Services Strategic Plan 2015-2040, 33% energy efficiency improvement over baseline will be achieved by 2020. [18131/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 314 to 322, inclusive, together.
The Water Services Strategic Plan is a statutory requirement under section 33 of the Water Services (No 2) Act 2013. The plan sets out the strategic objectives for the delivery of water services by Irish Water over the 25 year period up to 2040. It details current and future challenges which affect the provision of water services and identifies the priorities to be tackled by Irish Water in both the short and medium term.
The plan includes a number of key targets and indicators so that implementation of the plan can be monitored. These include targets for achieving compliance with drinking water quality standards, targets for addressing legacy failings in relation to urban waste water treatment, targets for reduced leakage rates and lead management as well as targets for improving operational and capital efficiencies identified by the Commission for Energy Regulation.
The Water Services Strategic Plan was approved by the then Minister in October 2015. It provides the first real opportunity to take a long-term view of water services investment at a national level, to ensure that investment is strategically targeted towards priority needs and to put in place an asset management approach towards investment in water services that gives the optimum balance between capital and operational spend to ensure the required service delivery to the people of Ireland over time, and at least cost. The Irish Water Business Plan Transforming Water Services in Ireland to 2021 was also published in 2015. It outlines Irish Water’s planned investment and financial targets for the 7-year period to 2021 and provides the basis by which Irish Water will implement the first phase of the Water Services Strategic Plan.
The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) has produced a framework to monitor Irish Water's performance over time. Performance metrics cover the areas of customer service, environmental performance, quality of service for water supply security of supply and sewerage service. In addition, Ervia's Annual Report and Accounts and Irish Water's Financial statements are submitted to me each year and are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. These publications enable further assessment of the progress made by Irish Water towards delivering the Water Services Strategic Plan and Business Plan targets.
Delivering the targets set out in the Water Services Strategic Plan will however be dependent upon ensuring the required levels of funding identified in the Irish Water Business Plan to 2021 and ongoing commitment to the required funding levels beyond then.
