Division C – Water Services
Water Services manages, maintains and enhances the water and drainage infrastructure that provides clean, safe drinking water to the homes and businesses of the County and provides for the removal of waste water. The service deals with the maintenance of the networks on a routine as well as an emergency response basis, in respect of burst mains, etc. The Water Services Investment Programme seeks to address, identify and deliver necessary improvement to ensure that an infrastructure is in place that will sustain and attract investment in our County.
In November 2007, the EU Directive on the assessment and management of flood risks (2007/60/EC), usually called the Floods Directive, came into force. This directive requires that Member States undertake a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment by December 2011 to identify areas of potentially significant flood risk and then for such areas to prepare flood maps by December 2013 and prepare flood risk management plans by December 2015. The requirements of the Floods Directive are closely aligned with some elements of the National Flood Policy as established after Government approval of the 2004 Report of the Flood Policy Review Group.
Water Supply and Operations
The County water supply network is made up of 1,500 km of watermains.
Improvements have continued in the management of the water supply in the Dublin Region and particularly in the South Dublin County Council area by the ongoing addition to measures listed below which have resulted in the reduction of water consumption levels.
- Use of telemetry and district metering to monitor and action distribution losses.
- Rehabilitation of high burst frequency pipes contributing to a reduction in unaccounted for water.
- Installation of controllers on Pressure Reducing Valves (33 with day/night settings and 2, Ballymount and Fonthill, with full 24hr settings) to reduce excessive downstream pressures and water losses.
These measures have resulted in South Dublin County Council having the lowest leakage rate in the region, currently averaging 16% for 2012.
In addition to the above, the Water Section carries out ongoing necessary maintenance of the network as required, repairing burst mains, services and the repair of valves and hydrants etc.
Alternative Energy Pilot
Alternative energy sources are being investigated as there is a huge energy requirement associated with water and drainage infrastructure. Following an assessment of the pilot studies one/both of these technologies will be rolled out across 10-12 of the proposed outstations. The remaining locations will be connected to ESB.
A trial of the William Cox Ireland Ltd. solar panel system in Hibernian Industrial Estate is ongoing and has been live since 29/02/2012. Modifications have been made to the outstation and converter to minimise power demand. The solar panel will be able to run two pressure transducers in addition to the existing flowmeter.
A trial of an in-plane loader turbine generator in Finnstown District Metered Area commenced in December 2011 with the installation of the turbine. This will use the hydraulic energy of water flowing in the watermain to power the outstation (a pressure reducing valve is required) and can supply 14w continuously. The low-voltage converter was installed by a specialist contractor in March.
Water Consumption & Quality
The provision of water to businesses and homes in the County is a complex operation with many interacting components and is very effectively managed locally and regionally. There are 19 drinking water pumping stations throughout the County.
In 2011 the daily water consumption figure reduced to 69.1 million litres – 25.2 billion litres per year.42.5 million litres per day are used by the domestic sector (62%) Almost 90,000 households avail of free water in the County each day. The average daily usage per person is 145 litres. The cost of provision of water (purchased from neighbouring local authorities) is estimated at €4.049m for 2012.
Since 2009 all non-domestic properties in South Dublin are metered and charged by actual usage.
Water Quality Testing is provided for the Council on an agency basis by the Central Laboratory.
Water Pricing 2012
The 2011 budget review and 2012 estimates for Water Services were completed last October. The income required to achieve full-cost recovery of apportioned costs from the non-domestic sector was assessed for this period following receipt of final corrected 2011 commercial water volumes on 16/05/2012. While the Operating Expenditure decreased there is a net increase in required income from the commercial sector due to Capital Expenditure increases. The resultant Water Charges for 2012 were set at €1.93 per cubic meter, an increase in €0.05 from 2011.
Network Upgrade
The Boherboy Water Supply Scheme involves a major upgrading and expansion of the water supply network and storage infrastructure in the south and west of the County. This scheme provides for the construction of 41km of water main, new reservoirs at Saggart and Kiltalown and a pumping station in Saggart. This scheme will be completed in early 2013.
Domestic Waste Water System Registration
The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provides for the introduction of a registration and inspection system for domestic wastewater treatment systems. It has been introduced to address the European Court of Justice ruling against Ireland in October 2009 and even more importantly, to protect ground and surface water quality (particularly drinking water sources) from the risks posed by malfunctioning systems. Owners of domestic wastewater treatment systems are required to register their systems in accordance with the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Registration) Regulations 2012. The new legislation has been framed to minimise the impact on householders and there will be no inspection charge. Section 70 of the Water Services Act 2007 already places a duty of care on the owner of a premises to ensure that their treatment system does not cause a risk to human health or the environment or create a nuisance through odours. The new legislation augments the existing duty of care provisions. The Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations 2012 set out the performance standards that treatment systems must comply with.
To date 671 households out of an approximate 2,500 in South Dublin County Council’s administrative area have complied with the registration requirements. The registration period continues until the end of March 2013.
Foul and Surface Water Drainage Maintenance and Operations
The Drainage Maintenance and Operations Section is responsible for the Council’s Drainage System, which comprises approximately 1,600 km of foul and surface water public sewers along with over 20 pumping stations. The Council is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the network and pumping stations and all wastewater produced in South Dublin is discharged to the Ringsend Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) at a cost of €9,525,000 in 2013. South Dublin has two principal sewers – the 9B and the Dodder Valley, which connect the County to the regional WWTP at Ringsend. South Dublin discharges 88.5 million litres of wastewater per day – 32.3 billion litres each year to Ringsend Waste Water Treatment Plant. The wastewater pumping stations are constantly monitored and have been upgraded using new technologies including Chopper Pumps (SCADA) to improve efficiencies. Infiltration of surface water into the foul system is the most common reason for increasing the flow to Ringsend, thus creating issues in pumping stations and increasing overall costs. An enforcement team has been established to ensure that estates being taken in charge do not contribute to ongoing infiltration/maintenance issues. The Drainage Maintenance Section continues to be a 24 hour emergency service and in 2013 will continue to increase efficiencies, through prioritisation of core duties, greater enforcement and examination of where resources should be best deployed. Enforcement of the licensing of food service establishments identified as causing sewer blockages as a result of the discharge of Fats, Oils and Greases (F.O.G) which lead to emergency works, flooding of premises and pollution, will also be maintained.
Flood Management
Due to increasing levels of rainfall and the consequential risk of flooding, the Council, in conjunction with the Office of Public Works (OPW) is applying additional resources to the maintenance and management of its surface water network of gullies, drains, streams, rivers and culverts in the county. In addition to the above, a review of surface water and flood management is ongoing and include the following: The Dodder Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM), which is near completion, will provide flood mapping and a programme of measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the Dodder basin and the Whitestown and Killinarden streams catchments.
The remainder of the County is included in the Eastern CFRAM which is in the early stages of development and includes the Liffey, Griffeen, Camac and Poddle rivers.
Contour and Topographical surveys of Council lands will be carried out to identify further areas of attenuation. These attenuation areas, if required, are most likely to be located in the Council’s regional and neighbourhood parks. Financial provision is being made in the 2013 Budget for a programme of response actions arising from the extreme adverse weather on the 24/10/2012. This programme will include reviewing the capacity of the network, the adequacy/need for additional gullies in vulnerable areas as well as identifying problems such as culverts, screens and ditches, with a view to minimising the risk of flooding in the future. The Council continues to liaise with the OPW in relation to flood management and necessary remedial actions.
Water Services Investment Programme
Schemes Recently Completed:
- Tobermaclugg Pumping Station and Rising Mains
- Tobermaclugg Stream Upgrade
Schemes at Construction:
- Boherboy Water Supply Scheme (this scheme to be completed in 2013)
- Water Conservation Stage 3 Works
Schemes at Planning:
- Saggart/Rathcoole & Newcastle Sewerage Scheme
- Dodder Valley Sewerage Scheme
- 9B Sewerage Scheme
- Strategic Watermain between Leixlip & Saggart
Schemes at Planning/Design Stage
- Saggart/Newcastle/Rathcoole Drainage Collection Improvement Scheme: submitted for funding.
- Foul Sewer (9B) Improvements: - The strategy for this scheme will be very much driven by the options adopted in the Greater Dublin Drainage Project.
- Dodder Valley Catchment: - Drainage Strategy Study.
- South Dublin Secondary Chlorination: - Installation of secondary chlorination facility at Peamount reservoir to boost residual chlorine levels as required by EPA.
- Water Conservation Stage 3 Works.
- Dublin Region Mains Rehabilitation Project (South Dublin) Hot Spots -South Dublin in association with Dublin City as lead authority is currently compiling the necessary technical to support the works which will deliver significant water savings.
- Automation of Pressure Management: - application submitted to Dublin Region Watermains Rehabilitation Project Office.