As part of a €5.4 billion water and sewage infrastructure investment programme, every population centre of over 1,000 is to have its own wastewater treatment plant, the Minister for the Environment said today.
Mr Cullen said it was "the most significant milestone yet to push to bring our water services infrastructure up to a world standard".
The Water Services Investment Programme 2003 - 2005 will cover 737 water and sewerage schemes across the Republic between now and the end of 2005. The programme is funded under the National Development Plan.
"Immense headway has been made towards eliminating the historical infrastructural deficit in the water services area. The fact that the programme is now able to reach down to much smaller communities is a clear illustration of the extent of the progress we have made in recent years to expand the coverage of the water services infrastructure," said Mr Cullen.
He added that the increase in water production capacity since 1997 means that "we are providing treeated water for an equivalent of nearly 800,00 more people".
According to Mr Cullen, the huge investment being made in new sewerage schemes has meant rapid progress towards achieving compliance with the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directice.
There are currently 41 water schemes in construction with 367 to commence construction between 2003 and 2005.