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Wastewater Treatment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 May 2017

Wednesday, 24 May 2017

Ceisteanna (173)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

173. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the annual capital investment spent on wastewater treatment from 2000 to 2021 in tabular form; and the figure for the portion of this investment each year targeted at those agglomerations listed by the European Commission in its urban wastewater directive infringement proceedings from 2013, including the 38 currently with the ECJ. [24918/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The annual capital investment by my Department on waste water infrastructure from 2000 to 2013 is outlined in the following table. This represents the expenditure by the Department on the provision of waste water infrastructure through the Water Services Investment Programme. In line with policy for cost recovery for the provision of water services for non-domestic users, the relevant water authorities would have provided capital investment to meet the proportion of the costs related to those users. In general this would have been 20%-25% of total costs depending on the ratio of domestic to non-domestic demand driving the need for investment.

Year

Water Services Investment Programme - Capital Investment in waste water infrastructure for 2000-2013    (€m)

2000

295

2001

376

2002

351

2003

285

2004

230

2005

209

2006

239

2007

255

2008

240

2009

255

2010

284

2011

220

2012

150

2013

124

Total

3,513

In addition, local authorities spent in the region of  €4m to €10m per annum on smaller sewerage schemes, but these were largely for reasons of economic development.

The information requested with regard to the levels of capital investment each year in relevant agglomerations is not readily available. However, the data will be examined further and my Department will follow up with the Deputy if it is possible to provide relevant information.

Since January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of public water and waste water services. Capital investment in waste water treatment infrastructure for the period 2014-2016 has been approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the figures below for those years have been provided by Irish Water.  The figures provided do not include significant metering, suppressed maintenance and reactive maintenance costs. The figures are also exclusive of non-network costs which include establishment, IT and facilities costs.

Year

Capital investment in waste water infrastructure (€m 2014 in 2014 prices, 2015 & 2016 in 2015 prices)

2014

150

2015

168

2016 (provisional)

199

The following table provides projected waste water capital expenditure as set out in the Irish Water Capital Investment Plan for the period 2017-2021. Again these figures are exclusive of non-network costs and they do not account for efficiency challenges to be set by CER.

Year

Projected capital investment in waste water infrastructure (€m 2015 prices)

2017

229

2018

318

2019

392

2020

403

2021

363

With regard to the level of investment required to achieve compliance in the 38 agglomerations cited, I am informed by Irish Water that the total projected capital investment in waste water infrastructure at these 38 agglomerations, for the period 2014 until full compliance is achieved, is now estimated to be in the region of €1.1 billion. However, this remains subject to change as projects are fully designed, tendered and delivered – and as issues with regard to sewer networks are better understood.

With regard to the information requested on agglomeration specific projected costs for the period 2014-2021, I understand that Irish Water are preparing material for the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and that this information will include agglomeration specific projected costs.

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