Ban on taking sand at water sources

The Swiss federal government has banned the extraction of sand and gravel from areas where drinking water is sourced. Restrictions are also in place on gravel extraction where there is a potential for a drinking water extraction.

Such a ban and restrictions if copied in the Republic would have serious implications for extractive industries, particularly companies such as Roadstone which has a 600-acre site on the shores of the Blessington lakes in Co Wicklow among other sites. The lakes provide drinking water for much of the population of Dublin and Wicklow. Roadstone is currently involved in lobbying councillors to extend the area where it may extract gravel.

However, the Swiss, in co-operation with the international commissions for the protection of lakes Leman, Constance and Maggiore, as well as the Rhine, have enacted strict laws relating to the protection of drinking and groundwater supplies.

To give effect to the cross-border nature of the protection of the lakes, similar ordnances have been adopted by France, Germany, Italy, Austria and the Netherlands.

Under Article 44 of the Swiss federal law on the protection of waters, anyone wishing to extract gravel, sand or other materials, or to carry out preliminary excavations for such extraction, shall require a permit.

However, the law states that:

permits shall not be granted in groundwater protection zones, including designated drinking water sources;

permits shall not be granted for extraction below the groundwater table where the amount and quality of water is suitable for water catchment;

permits shall not be granted for extraction near watercourses where the flow of detritus may be negatively affected.

In a limited number of exceptions, gravel may be removed from above the groundwater level "provided a protective layer of material is left above the maximum groundwater level possible".

During quarrying the protective layer of material is required to be least two metres above the highest maximum 10-year groundwater level.

The extraction area should also be limited to guarantee the replenishment of natural groundwater.

After quarrying, covering soil must be restored so that its protective effects correspond to those of the site's original state.

The Swiss have identified drinking water sources as "water protection areas", and no activities are allowed which represent a danger to the water quality.

A spokeswoman for Roadstone said strict environmental controls were in place at all that company's quarrying operations.