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WATER SUPPLY PROJECT–DUBLIN REGION
Public Consultation Notice
DRAFT PLAN, STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (PHASE ll) and
HABITATS DIRECTIVE ASSESSMENT
 

Dublin City Council, on behalf of the seven (7) Local Authorities in the Dublin Region (Water Supply Area), has prepared a Draft Plan which examines options for developing a new water supply source for the Region to supplement existing supply sources and to meet supply requirements up to 2031 and beyond.

The water supply options are:

a)       Lough Ree abstraction, treat near source, pump to the Dublin Region;

b)       Lough Derg abstraction, treat near source, pump to the Dublin Region;

c)       Parteen Basin abstraction (the Shannon upstream of Ardnacrusha), treat near source, pump to the Dublin Region;

d)       Lough Ree (phase 1) and Lough Derg (phase 2) abstractions, treat at source and pump to the Dublin Region;

e)       Lough Ree abstraction, pump raw water to Midland’s Storage, treat and pump to the Dublin Region;

f)         Lough Derg abstraction, pump raw water to Midland’s Storage, treat and pump to the Dublin Region;

g)       Lough Ree abstraction, pump raw water to new impoundment in South Dublin/North Wicklow, treat and distribute;

h)       Abstraction of sea-water from the Irish Sea in north Fingal, treatment by desalination and pump treated water to Ballycoolin Reservoir, Fingal;

i)         Groundwater Sources, pump to suitable location(s), treat at suitable location(s) and pump to Dublin Region;

j)         River Barrow abstraction, pump raw water to Ballymore Eustace, treat Barrow water and Poulaphuca water at Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant, pump to the Dublin Region.

The preferred solution could also involve a combination of some or part of the above options.

Dublin City Council have drawn on the information gained from the Strategic Environmental Assessment (Phase l) carried out in 2006-2007 on the Greater Dublin Water Supply Major Source Development in which The Lough Ree (a) and Desalination Options (h) were examined.

In compliance with Article 9(1) of SI No. 435 of 2004, European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the Draft Plan is being carried out by Dublin City Council - the “Competent Authority” as defined in the legislation.

In compliance with Article 12 (1) and Schedule 2 of the SEA Regulations (SI No. 435 of 2004), an Environmental Report has been prepared which assesses, at a strategic level, the likely significant environmental impacts of implementing the above options as outlined in the Draft Plan.

Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC requires that “any plan or project not directly connected with or necessary to the management of the site but likely to have a significant effect thereon, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the site in view of the site’s conservation objectives”.

A Habitat Directive Assessment (HDA) is being undertaken to ascertain if there are site(s) designated in accordance with EU Directives whose integrity could be adversely affected by implementing the options in the Draft Plan.

This Directive has been transposed into Irish Law by the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations, SI No 94/1997 amended by SI No 233/1998 and SI No 378/2005. 

Dublin City Council now invites submissions on the above and on any other issues that might affect the decisions that will be taken on the options in the Draft Plan.

The Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary, along with the Draft Plan, (in accordance with Article 13 of SI No 435 of 2004) and the HDA Report will be displayed for public inspection in hardcopy and compact disc format from the 24th of November 2008 at the following locations during normal library opening hours:

• Aidan Heavey Public Library, Athlone Civic Offices, Church St., Athlone, Co. Westmeath

• Bray Library, Eglinton Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow

• Carrick-on-Shannon Library, Park Lane House, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim

• Central Library, ILAC Centre, Henry St., D 1

• Charleville Library, Main St., Charleville, Co. Cork

• Dooradoyle Library, Dooradoyle Road, Limerick

• Killaloe Public Library, Lock House, Killaloe, Co. Clare

• Listowel Library, Civic Centre, Listowel, Co. Kerry

• Longford Library, Longford Town Centre, Co. Longford.

• Mullingar Library, Church Avenue, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

• Naas Community Library, The Harbour, Naas, Co. Kildare

• Nenagh Branch Library, O’Rahilly St., Nenagh, Co. Tipperary

• Portumna Library, Main St., Portumna, Co. Galway

• Roscommon Branch Library, Abbey St., Roscommon

• Skerries Library, Strand St. Skerries, Co. Dublin

• Tipperary Library, Davis St., Tipperary.

• Tullamore Library, O'Connor Square, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

 

The Draft Plan, Environmental Report and Habitats Directive Assessment Report are also available for inspection during business hours at:

• Dublin City Council, Customer Services Centre, Ground Floor, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8

• Fermanagh District Council, Town Hall, Enniskillen, BT74 7BA

• RPS, Elmwood House, 74 Boucher Road, Belfast BT12 6RZ

Relevant documentation may also be accessed on the Project website at http://www.watersupplyproject-dublinregion.ie.

Written submissions with respect to the above SEA Environmental Report, the Draft Plan and the Habitats Directive Assessment should be forwarded to RPS Consulting Engineers, Water Supply Project-Dublin Region, Ground Floor, Block 2, West Pier Business Park, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin or by email to info@watersupplyproject-dublinregion.ie.

Written submissions from Northern Ireland should be to Mr. John Minnis, SEA Coordinator, NI Environment Agency, Strategy Unit, Klondyke Building, Cromac Avenue, Gasworks Business Park, Belfast BT7 2JA or by e-mail to seateam@doeni.gov.uk.

The closing date for submissions is 12.00hrs on Friday 27th February 2009.