O Brolchain optimistic that real progress is being made with water services in Galway

+++ PRESS RELEASE +++ 12th December 2007 +++ PRESS RELEASE +++

O Brolchain optimistic that real progress is being made with water services in Galway

Galway Green Party Councillor, Niall O Brolchain is cautiously optimistic that real progress is being made in relation to water quality in Galway but warns there is no room for complacency.

“I am pleased with the response to date of Galway City Council and the Department of the Environment in relation to water services in Galway. Indeed the allocation of €80 million to water services in Galway by Environment Minister John Gormley and the agreement to provide sufficient staff to Galway City Council to get the job done is a cause for great optimism”, said Cllr O Brolchain. (See Ministers letter below)

“As Mayor of Galway City, I believe I took the correct course of action in terms of negotiating a deal that should sort out the problems highlighted during the Galway Water Crisis for decades to come, if it is properly implemented”, said Cllr O Brolchain.

“While I am happy with the progress being made in the City, I am concerned at the apparent lack of progress being made by Galway County Council to deal with the problems of raw sewage flowing into Lough Corrib. It is likely that they will not complete all of the projects for which money is now allocated in an acceptable timeframe”, stated Cllr O Brolchain.

“I will be monitoring progress on an ongoing basis and keeping in close contact with Minister Gormley in relation to the matter”, concluded Cllr O Brolchain. “It is vital that we learn our lessons from the Galway Water Crisis and do our utmost to ensure that such a situation never happens again.”

+++ ENDS +++

Further Information

Cllr Niall O Brolchain

Phone 087-9524776

niallob@esatclear.ie

Dear Niall,

Very good progress has been made in relation to the actions agreed with
my predecessor when the citywide Cryptosporidium problem occurred at the
end of March. With regard to the replacement of the Old Terryland
plant, I understand that the Council is in the process of short-listing
consultants to prepare the Preliminary Report for the project. My
Department will deal with the brief for the appointment of a consultant
as soon as it is received from the Council.
In announcing the Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 in
September, I outlined special measures being taken by my Department, in
conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to develop a
systematic and accelerated response to the cryptosporidium risk, as well
as to persistent E-Coli failures, in public water supplies. These
measures include a new contingency funding arrangement to deal with
priority infrastructural upgrades.
The Department and the EPA are examining the latest drinking water
quality results with a view to cataloguing those supplies where there
are security of supply and quality issues associated with
cryptosporidium or E-Coli risks or other chemical exceedences. This
analysis is expected to be completed within the next few months. The
objective is to develop an action programme that identifies an
appropriate solution in each case. This may involve, inter alia,
abandoning or replacing sources, upgrading treatment facilities or
improving operational and maintenance arrangements. The contingency
funding arrangement will apply where infrastructural works are urgently
required that have not already been provided for in the current or
previous phases of the Department’s Water Services Investment
Programme. The EPA will oversee implementation of any necessary
remedial actions as part of its enhanced supervisory function under the
European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations (No.2), 2007 (S.I. No.
278 of 2007)

In the immediate term, local authorities have been asked by the
Department to review the operation of all water treatment plants (and
associated infrastructure) to ensure that the installation of continuous
chlorine alarms and turbidity meters at appropriate locations at the
treatment plant or in the distribution network (including at reservoirs)
is progressed without delay. Authorities have also been asked promptly
to complete and return an amended Cryptosporidium Risk Assessment to the
EPA. Reliable profiling of individual schemes will be available
following completion of the joint Departmental/EPA examination referred
to above and submission of amended Cryptosporidium Risk Assessments by
all local authorities.
A number of sewerage schemes in the Corrib catchment have been approved
for funding under the current Water Services Investment Programme and
they will play a major role in improving and protecting water quality
there. They include Headford, which is substantially completed,
Oughterard Claregalway, Corofin, Dunmore, Milltown and Tuam.
Galway County Council will also be providing a scheme at Clonbur under
the devolved Rural Water Programme which is part funded by the
Department.
Sewerage schemes within the catchment that have already been completed
with Departmental funding include Moycullen, Tuam (Phase 1), Cong,
Ballyhaunis, Ballinrobe and Claremorris.
I hope this gives you some sense of the extensive measures now being
pursued to ensure that the people of Galway and the rest of the country
can be assured of safe and secure drinking water supplies.

Yours sincerely,

_______________________

John Gormley, T.D.,

Minister for the Environment, Heritage

and Local Government.

Tags: Cryptosporidium, Galway City Council, Galway Water, Green Party, Niall O Brolchain