COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 09, 2013

QUESTION NO. 2

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Manager to report on measures by this Council to improve river water quality in line with the Eastern River Basin District (ERBD) plan, including plans for 2014 and the funding available for such measures?

REPLY:

The Council is in the process of finalising its Eastern River Basin District Actions [ERBD] for the County for 2014. However, it is expected water quality improvement work in 2014 will be a mix of Catchment assessments and point pollution elimination. Significant understanding of domestic and industrial misconnection was achieved in 2013 primarily as a result of project work carried out during 2013, the reports of which have yet to be completed. These projects inform the environmental improvement works programme for 2014.

Water Services Department also carry out inspections of developments to ensure that planning conditions regarding drainage systems are complied with.

We also work with Building Control section to inspect the condition of drainage systems for taking in charge purposes of estates.

The roll out of septic tank inspections in the county in 2014 is expected to provide the Council with additional mechanisms to reduced pollution to waters and this is welcome. The Council will also be working closely with Dublin City Council, the lead authority of the Eastern River Basin District (ERBD) project, and the EPA in developing the next cycle of the ERBD River Basin Management Plan 2016 to 2021. 

 The proposed measures for 2014 will be funded from the Councils 2014 revenue budget.