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Water Provision for Ireland
- A Submission to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht
October 2011
Presentation Team
Jerry GrantManaging Director
Chartered Engineer
RPS Consulting Engineers
Kevin MurrayChartered Engineer
Independent Consultant
John PowerDirector General
Chartered Engineer
Engineers Ireland
Place Photo Here
Place Photo Here
Engineers Ireland is the representative body for the Irish Professional Engineer
• Founded 1835• 24,000 Members / 5,300 Chartered• Multi-Disciplinary
• Accreditation of Higher Engineering Qualifications
• Continuous Professional Training & Development Programme
• Water Services Engineers in Public & Private Sectors
Supply (Storage) of Drinking Water & Disposal of Wastewater
• Efficient Infrastructure– Reliable Quality & Capacity– Leakage Reduction– Asset Management
• Alternative Sources– Source Options– Security & Strategic Reserve– Source Protection
• Administration & Cost– Structures & Organisation– Water Charges & Metering– Value for Money
Basis of Submission
Inadequately maintained, unable to
meet peak demand, and requiring significant
investment
Water – A Key National Resource
• Drinking Water:– Essential “Food” Product– On Tap 24/7– Meet New Development Needs
• Water:– Industrial Processes– Raw Material– Fire Fighting Resource
• Waste Water Services:– Public Health– Environmental Protection– Storm Water Drainage
Current Situation
34 Local Authorities
950 Public Water Supplies
1,600 million litres / day
Over 40,000 km of pipes
Unaccounted-for Water 48%
Operational Cost €720m
Non-Domestic Revenue
Collection 52%
50% fall in Capital Spend
in 3 years
Cold Weather Vulnerability
440,000 Septic Tanks
75% of Homes on Public Water
Mains
1,000mm of rainfall each
year
Challenge: To organise and fund to meet 21st Century Needs
Regulatory Environment
Drinking Water
Regulations
Water Framework Directive
ECJ Septic Tank Ruling
Lead Solvency
Limits
Strategic Planning
Applications
EPA WWTP Licenses
Challenge: Compliance at affordable cost
EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE
Efficient Infrastructure – Where are we now?
• Major Victorian Age Water/Wastewater Services remain critical to our towns and cities
• Investment for last 50 years had 2 main priorities
- Meeting capacity for new development - Meeting new EU standards of treatment
• Key Legacy Issues - High leakage and failure risk - Poor quality of much developer-led works - Limited security and flexibility for future - Ongoing environment challenges
Efficient Infrastructure – Strategy to Deliver
Asset Management Planning Approach: Regional Strategic Plans (5-6 years) and long term view Whole Life Cost (Integral Capital and Operating Budgets) Computer based records and performance models
Regional Management Approach (Economic Scale): Integrated teams and larger Schemes Common systems, management and procurement Maintain professional water services staff and skills
Adequate Budget Through User Based Charging: Revenues must cover operating and capital needs Water Metering introduced in a cost effective way Focus on encouraging demand management
Efficient Infrastructure and Treatment Plants:
Modern Treatment Plants• Recent water services investment has left us with a
portfolio of new treatment plants;• Plants must have strategic capacity for future; • Maintain capital replacement funds.
Well Operated Treatment Plants• DBO contracts on treatment plants run to a
Performance Management System;• Operator and Technology Risks with the Contractor;• New standards require advanced technology and
operation.
Efficient Infrastructure - Operation:
Economic Level of Leakage• Accelerate Investment in District Metering and Active
Leakage Control;• Address Customer-side Leakage as well as public mains
repairs and replacements;• Apply computer model-based asset management approach to
networks.
Energy Efficiency• Water services account for half the energy budget of most
local authorities;• Opportunities exist to use renewable energy sources and
drive energy efficiency;• Recover energy from wastewater treatment processes.
The Consumer & Demand Management
Water Efficiency
Grants
Education Programmes
Smart Metering
Customer Leakage Protocols
Consumption-Based Charges
Demand Management
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES & STORAGE
Alternative Sources/Storage – Needs for Water
• Water demands mirrors economic growth (1-2% / year)• Future Estimates – assumes leakage to below 20% and that
universal metering will apply• Rainwater/Greywater use requires bylaws and economic
incentives (low impact in medium term on existing properties)
• Must provide headroom for peak demand and risks to supply
• Ireland must use its sustainable resources to exploit worldwide water stress – key economic advantage
Alternative Sources/Storage – Key Issues
• Balanced Environmental considerations – (Ecology, Amenity, Community, Climate)
• Local Catchment needs to be prioritised– Finance catchment management through abstraction charges
• Raw Water Storage – useful to avoid dry summer extractions (balancing storage)
• Desalination – High Cost / Energy – leading to significant increases in cost of water (e.g. Australia)
• Ireland must manage its water sources to achieve economic advantage
Alternative Sources/Storage – Dublin & Mid East
Recommended Solution (subject to Planning)
• Lough Derg (Shannon) and large Midlands raw-water storage
• ESB balances flows at Ardnacrusha – no change in Lake levels
• Midlands Storage meets supply needs during low flow periods
• No Impact in Shannon Catchment
• Secure long-term supply will sustain vital economic growth (20/30 years and beyond)
Dublin Region – A Sustainable Future
• Lough• Ree
• Lough• Derg
• River• Shannon
• Parteen• Basin
• River Shannon
•
62 km twin 1400 Φ pipeline
•
Raw Water – 124km total
•
Pressure: 15-20bar
•
54km twin 1200 Φ pipeline
•
Drinking Water – 106km total
•
Pressure: 10-20bars
•
15km twin 1000 Φ pipeline
•
Integration – 30km total
•
Drinking Water
•
Pressure: 5-10 bars
• PeamountReservoir• Saggart
Reservoir
• Termination PointReservoir
• Garryhinch Bog(Bord na Mona)
•
Raw Water Abstraction
& Pumping Station
•
Water Treatment Plant
& Treated Water PS
• Storage(Raw Water )
Parteen Weir at Lough Derg Outlet
‘Old’ Shannon River
Ardnacrusha Headrace
Alternative Discharges
1.Receiving Waters dictate the discharge standards and hence costs
2.Coastal discharges offer greater capacity for large catchments
3.River / Estuarine discharges require limits on Ammonia, Phosphorus, Nitrates, Bacteria, hence higher costs
4.Treatment Plant Locations must satisfy aesthetic, odour, noise and other environmental impacts
5.Transmission networks can determine costs (Sewers, Tunnels, Pumping Systems, Urban Development)
Septic Tanks
• ECJ Ruling v. Ireland• 450,000 Septic Tanks• > 25% Polluting
• Risk to Groundwater• Neighbours wells
• Registration essential• Grant aid those that engage
• Chartered Engineers• Inspection & Authorisation
ADMINISTRATION & COST
Irish Water
“We believe that Irish Water should ultimately be a dedicated water utility company operating within a regulated
environment and with effective ownership of the assets.”
“The responsibilities of Irish Water should encompass both water and
wastewater services from abstraction of raw water through all stages of the process to the eventual discharge of
treated wastewater.”
Administration and Cost Objectives
Administration
1.Efficient Accountable Utility subject to Regulation2.Responsible for delivery of public policy objectives3.Commercially focussed with Whole Life Cost Approach4.Integrated Budget Models and Control of Revenue5.Water Charging to be fair, transparent and support water conservation
6.Allow for managed Transition and Timeframe to protect Services and retain Knowledge and Expertise in Local Authorities as necessary.
Administration and Cost – Key Roles
• Government
Public Policy and Social Protection
• Financial Regulator
Regulate Price, Investment & Service Levels
• Environmental Regulator
Protect Public Health and Environment
• Local Authority
Strategic Economic Development Planning
Catchment Management & Aquatic Environment Protection
Stormwater Collection & Flooding Control
Administration and Cost – Functions of Irish Water
• Central Administration Strategic Plans / Asset Management Strategies / Policies Revenue and Budget Control Investment Management Project Management and Procurement Regulatory Interfaces Risk, Safety, Environment, Legal, IT, HR Customer Services
• Regional Operations Management of Service Delivery Management of Delivery of Projects Legacy Programmes (Leakage and Assets) Service Connections metering & reading Workflow Progression
Administration and Cost – International Water Pricing
2010 Tariffs Overview (Global Cities)
(Ref. September Issue of Water Australia)
German Cities 3.60 – 5.90 €/m3
Australian Cities 2.65 – 3.70 €/m3
Paris 2.90 €/m3
Glasgow 4.33 €/m3
US Cities 2.0 – 2.10 €/m3
Key Cost Issues:• Investing in Water Security is driving up prices, especially for Desalination• Elements of Public subsidy many apply outside EU• “Free Water” referenced in Dublin, Belfast and Ashgabat (Turkmenistan)• Current Irish consolidated charge approximately €2.30/m3
Administration and Cost Model
Funding Model Required to be:
• Self Sustaining for both Capital and Operational Cost
• Raise finance backed by Regulated Asset Value
• Have transition funding for Capital needs
• Provide for legacy needs, especially leakage reduction
• Commence fixed charge and transition to metered basis in affordable
manner prioritising high leakage properties
• Social Welfare Code to provide funding for disadvantaged category
Conclusions
Ireland requires a 21st Century Water Service to further socio-economic growth
Key requirements are:
•A fit for purpose organisation to deliver, subject to policy and regulation
•Sustainable funding to meet whole life cost needs (including deficit)
•Must deliver secure high quality services with appropriate security and strategic capacity to promote growth and jobs
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