DATE: 10^th June 2003
TOPIC: Aluminium in Water
QUESTION: 705

Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of random audits of those sanitary authorities not in full compliance with the EU MAC for aluminium, which have been completed in 2002 and to the end of April 2003, in view of the Environmental Protection Agency's last two annual reports, which have each highlighted the widespread non-compliance of most sanitary authorities with the EU MAC for aluminium, the growing concerns regarding the role of aluminium in relation to Alzheimer's, and the recommendation by an international expert body that aluminium in drinking water should be less than 0.05mg/1; the number of supplies with properly verified documented management systems approach to the management of treatment plants completed for inspection by the EPA in 2002 and to the end of April 2003; and the way in which the recently announced funding for a major new water conservation programme will address the urgent countrywide problem of aluminium exceedances. [15298/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen): I refer to the reply to Question No. 702 on 7 May 2003.  The annual reports of the EPA, entitled The Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland, contain information on the audits carried out by the EPA in relation to the production of drinking water by sanitary authorities.  Copies of the reports are placed in the Oireachtas Library as they become available.  Further more detailed information in relation to EPA audits, as sought in the question, may appropriately be sought from the EPA.

The new national water conservation programme is designed to identify and substantially reduce the levels of unaccounted for water in Ireland's water supply network.  The allocation of more than €276 million for the first round of the programme demonstrates the Government's massive commitment to maximising efficiency in the way our water resources are managed and utilised.  Many benefits will arise from infrastructural water conservation among which will be the day to day savings in water production due to reduced leakage, savings on provision of new capital infrastructure and increased revenue to local authorities due to better metering.  Control of leakage will reduce demand on supplies from water treatment plants and will, thereby, allow greater concentration on efficient operation and quality control of the plants by local authorities.