Annual Report 2005 - English Version ( pdf file - 3340 kb in size)

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Limerick County Council Annual Report 2005ENVIRONMENT, EMERGENCYSERVICES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRSTom EnrightDirector ofEnvironment,EmergencyServices &Consumer AffairsENVIRONMENTThis Directorate is responsible for a diverse range offunctions and services. The principal divisions withinthe Section are as follows:- Pollution Control and Water Quality Management.- Litter Management.- Waste Management.- Derelict Sites.- Energy Agency and Conservation.- Fire and Emergency Services.- Building Control.- Health and Safety.- Veterinary Services.- Civil Defence.- Corporate Building Programme.- Water Safety.Pollution Control and Water Quality ManagementThe Pollution Control Division is responsible for theimplementation of Local Government EnvironmentalLegislation in the following areas: air, water, noiseand nuisance. It also has a general water qualitymonitoring and management role. Specific activitiesundertaken by the section include the investigationof water pollution incidents, licensing of discharges towaters and sewers, licensing of significant emissions toair, monitoring of drinking water, urban waste waterplants, rivers and lakes.Water Pollution and the PhosphorousRegulations, 1998Water pollution is a major concern in County Limerick.Therefore much of the work of the pollution controlsection is devoted to this matter. Only 46% of rivers inCounty Limerick are classed as unpolluted, comparedto a national figure of 62%. In addition, the RiversMaigue and Deel, which drain the majority of theCounty, are the most polluted rivers in the Country, interms of Phosphorous loading. Under the PhosphorousRegulations, 1998 the Council is obliged to achievea significant improvement in river water quality by2007. To this end, the Council has established a teamconsisting of an Agricultural Scientist and two FieldInspectors with administrative and technical supportto undertake a comprehensive programme of farminspections, discharge licensing and general pollutioninvestigations.Since the team was established in November2002, pollution surveys have been completed inapproximately 85% of the River Deel catchment. Intotal, over 1500 farm visits have been carried outalong with inspections of septic tanks, industrial andcommercial premises and sewage treatment plants.The team works in close co-operation with individualsand community groups with a view to addressing theproblems identified.Enforcement of Water Pollution LegislationEnforcement of Water Pollution Legislation is animportant element in ensuring good water quality.The Environment Section investigated 180 complaintsrelating to water issues, which resulted in 17successful prosecutions under the Water Pollution Act1977 & 1990.Environment LaboratoryThe Environment Laboratory is responsible for thefollowing areas of work:1. Management plan for Drinking Water Quality.The laboratory staff monitor drinking water toensure that the quality is legally compliant and fitfor consumption by our customers and for groupwater scheme users. The laboratory also providestechnical assistance to County Council area offices,group water schemes and members of the publicas requested. In 2005, a total of 474 scheduledsamples were taken. 451 additional sampleswere taken as part of water supply quality incidentinvestigation and resolutions.2. Management plan for Urban Waste WaterTreatment Plants.This management plan ensures Limerick CountyCouncil’s compliance with the requirements of theEnvironmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (Urban18
Limerick County Council Annual Report 2005Waste Water Treatment) Regulations 1994 S.I. 419..In 2005, 390 samples were taken from 44 dischargepoints.3. Management plan for Surface Watersfor Abstractions.The management plan includes the legalclassification of drinking water treatment plantswith surface water sources in the County andthe legal quality standards that the raw water forthese plants should meet. The plan sets outsampling frequencies and analysis required. Thisplan was complied with in 2005.4. Management plan for licensed activitiesLimerick County Council licenses both dischargesto waters and sewers in accordance with the LocalGovernment (Water Pollution) Acts 1977 & 1990and the associated Regulations. The laboratory isinvolved in the following way:4.1 Licensing programmeThis programme initiated licensing by sector.Limerick County Council has completed thenursing homes and hotels sectors in 2005.4.2 License Review ProgrammeThis involves an assessment of existing licensesand reviewing them where required. Thisprogramme was largely completed.Shannon River Basin District Management ProjectIreland has been divided into eight river basin districts(RBDs) covering the whole of the island of Ireland,in accordance with new EU and Irish environmentallegislation. The Shannon RBD, with a total area of18,000 km 2 , is the largest RBD in Ireland and coversthe natural drainage area of the River Shannon andthe associated coastal areas of Clare, Limerick andKerry. It extends into the functional area of eighteenlocal authorities, with Limerick County Councilidentified in Irish legislation as the Co-ordinatingLocal Authority for the RBD. Limerick County Councilis also the Contracting Authority for the Shannon RBDManagement Project, which has been establishedwith National Development Plan funding to assist thelocal authorities in the RBD to meet the requirementsof the legislation. The initial phase of the project willculminate with the production of a draft River BasinManagement Plan for the district in 2008.2005 saw the completion of the Article 5Characterisation Report for the Shannon RBD. Thisreport provides an initial assessment of the pressuresand activities that present a threat to some waterbodies not achieving the requirement of “good status”by 2015. It also provides an assessment of the valueof water in the RBD and how the cost of provision ofwater services is recouped. It is available on the Projectwebsite at www.shannonrbd.com or by contacting theEnvironment Section of Limerick County Council.4.3 Industry sampling programme136 industry samples were taken.4.4 Licensing Audit ProgrammeThree prosecutions for serious non-compliancewith license conditions were completed andtwo are still continuing. In addition, 518industry self-monitoring returns were assessedfor compliance.5. Monitoring programme for river catchmentsand lakesFifteen river catchments and two lakes weremonitored to assess compliance with the relevantregulations. In total, 834 samples were taken atmonitoring stations throughout the County duringthe year.River Arra, Newcastle West6. Dangerous Substances Monitoring24 key locations throughout the County weresampled and tested for dangerous substances. Alllocations were found to be below the legal limits.19
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