'Little benefit' from water spend

The Government spent €867 million on the provision of drinking water between 2002 and 2007 but gained “little significant improvement” in supplies over most of those years, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General John Buckley.

The Comptroller noted it was only since the Environmental Protection Agency was given supervisory and enforcement powers over water authorities 2007, that the expected benefits from the investment started to be felt.

Addressing the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee today Mr Buckley said during the period 2004 to 2007 improvements in public water quality remained static at 98 per cent of the minimum standard, while the compliance figure for private water supplies improved by two per cent to 95 per cent.

He concluded “on review it is clear a key requirement from the commencement of the drinking water supply investment programme was for an adequately empowered independent entity or separate departmental arm to exercise supervision and enforcement.”

The funding was provided by the Department of Environment, which grant aided local authorities to improve public water supplies. The changes in 2007 resulted in increased monitoring and control of water supplies local authorities and the compilation of a remedial action list of 339 public water supplies requiring immediate action.

The changes also gave the local authorities enforcement powers over private water supplies including group water supplies which the Comptroller said “should help bring about the necessary improvement in that area”.

Secretary general of the department Geraldine Tallon told the committee €553 million was provided for major water schemes during the period, which also saw a further €596 million provided for the Rural Water Programme. She said the Department’s investment was currently running at about €500 million a year.