A new report from the EPA highlights that 3,500 consumers served by the Ballinlough Regional Public Water Supply are affected by a Boil Water notice; the largest number in Ireland.
The Drinking Water Report for 2015, released yesterday by the EPA, indicates that the majority of Ireland’s 962 drinking water supplies are safe and comply with microbiological and chemical standards.
However, the EPA has identified 108 “at risk” supplies in the latest Remedial Action List, where improvement works are necessary to ensure they are safe and secure. These supplies serve 830,000 consumers.
Commenting following the release of the report and the latest Remedial Action List, Gerard O’Leary, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said,
“So far this year, 86,000 people have had to boil their water to make it safe. This is more than twice as many as last year. Without investment to address the deficiencies in the supplies on the EPA’s Remedial Action List, this type of water restriction will continue to occur.”
The EPA has identified the following key priorities that need to be addressed:
– Eliminate long-term Boil Water Notices.
– Implement action programmes for all “at risk” supplies, particularly treatment systems to address trihalomethanes.
– Remove lead from public buildings and homes.
Concluding, Darragh Page, Senior Inspector of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said,
“Irish Water needs to accelerate the investment in remedial works at supplies listed on the EPA’s Remedial Action List so that the threat of long-term water restrictions is eliminated. Where avoidable delays have been caused to these planned upgrade works, the EPA has and will continue to take enforcement action.”
The Ballinlough Boil Water Notice was issued in January following the detection of Cryptosporidium. Areas affected include Ballinlough, Cloonfad, Trien, Cloonkeen, Cloonbunny, Briarfield, Tonragee, Garanlahan, Lowberry
The next largest area affected by a Boil Water Notice is the Ring/Helvick/Seaview area in Waterford, serving over 800 consumers.