Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the Whitegate boil water notice issue. The issue of safe drinking water has national and local importance. I appreciate Deputy Stanton's concerns for the communities affected. The Deputy will appreciate that the operation of Whitegate regional public water supply is a matter for Uisce Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. In turn, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, as the environmental regulator is responsible for setting quality standards and enforcing compliance with EU directives and national regulations for the provision of drinking water. I understand from inquiries made with Uisce Éireann that the boil water notice currently in place for the Whitegate public water supply was issued on 18 October 2023 following consultation between Uisce Éireann, Cork County Council and the HSE. The boil water notice, which remains in place today, was issued to protect approximately 9,500 customers in Whitegate, Aghada, Churchtown, Ballycotton, Saleen, Shanagarry, Ballinacurra and areas of Cloyne. The notice was issued as a result of increased turbidity in the raw water, which can happen at the source as it is susceptible to raw water quality issues after rainfall events. Boil water notices have been issued in respect of the Whitegate public water supply a number of times over the past few years.

Uisce Éireann has advised that in January of this year, following a protracted process, it received planning permission for a new state-of-the-art water treatment facility that will service just over 10,000 people in the east Cork community of Whitegate and surrounding areas. The proposed new state-of-the-art water treatment plant will address the frequent boil water notices that the people of east Cork have experienced over the past number of years. This involves a major upgrade of the water treatment plant that will ensure a safe, reliable drinking water supply to customers. A contractor has been appointed to deliver the design, planning, construction and commissioning works on behalf of Uisce Éireann. It is expected that construction on this vital project will begin in the second half of this year and that the construction phase of the project, as the Deputy said, is expected to take approximately 22 months.

Turning to the issue of financial supports the Deputy raised this evening, Uisce Éireann has a strong customer service focus through its water charges plan and customer charter, which outline the standard of service customers should expect to receive. The water charges plan sets out a compensation mechanism when water quality is compromised and unfit for human consumption, such as when boil water and drinking water restriction notices apply. Business customers who pay charges are entitled to a rebate under the customer handbook as agreed with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU. However, implementation of the water charges plan is a matter in the first instance for Uisce Éireann. Any issues which cannot be resolved by Uisce Éireann to the satisfaction of the customer can be referred through a formal complaint process to the CRU.

My Department’s priority is to ensure that people’s health is protected and that adequate water is available for all consumers. We all want to see the notice lifted without undue delay, but only when the HSE and EPA have confirmed that the water supply is safe for use.

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