Modernisation of drinking water supplies 'decades' away due to Irish Water delays – EPA
The latest Drinking Water in Public Supplies report by the EPA highlights how delays on works by Irish Water are 'posing a risk to the health of a large portion of the population'.
It will take "decades" to fully modernise Ireland's creaking water infrastructure at the current rate of progress, the environmental watchdog has warned.
In its latest report, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said more than 1m people were relying on vulnerable water supplies at the end of last year, while more than 15,500 people were on a boil water notice for over a month last year.
The EPA said that despite 99.7% compliance with bacterial and chemical limits in public water supplies in 2020, “improvements are needed in our drinking water infrastructure to protect public health”.
“Delays in the delivery of these improvements at water treatment plants by Irish Water means that water supplies remain vulnerable for longer, posing a risk to the health of a large portion of the population,” the report warns.
More than 145,000 households in Ireland still have lead connections from water mains, with Noel Byrne, EPA programme manager, saying “Irish Water must expedite lead connection replacements and progress improvements to disinfection systems to ensure that the quality of drinking water is adequately safeguarded”.
A total of 10,365 people living in Munster were affected by boil water notices during 2020, the majority of whom are in Cork (6,533 people).
In Cork right now, 4,205 people are relying on water supplies currently under a boil water notice, the majority of which are in Macroom.
Cork City’s water supply, which serves 87,114 people, was on the EPA’s remedial action list at the end of last year due to the upgrade of the water treatment plant, with works set to be completed this month.
In Limerick, 492 people in Fedamore continue to be affected by a boil water notice first issued in December 2019 due to turbidity, or cloudiness, at water treatment works.
In addition to this, 500 people availing of the Foynes/Shannon Estuary public water supply are under a boil water notice, with more than 7,000 people living in the area using a water supply in need of corrective action.
This action is also needed on an at-risk supply which provides 9,448 people with drinking water in Newcastlewest.
Meanwhile in Kerry, 1,370 people in Caherciveen were affected by a boil water notice for 22 days in July 2020 due to the presence of cryptosporidium, a microscopic parasite that causes diarrhea.
More than 350 people in the Aughacasla area of Kerry are still relying on a supply which is under a boil water notice.
In Tipperary town, 4,818 people are affected by a boil water notice at present, as well as almost 2,600 people in the Clonmel-Poulavanogue area using an at-risk water supply which Irish Water say won’t be repaired until the end of 2026.
West Clare’s regional water supply experienced a trihalomethane failure during works on a new water treatment plant in 2020, affecting eight public group schemes, though no boil water notices were issued in the county during that year.
Trihalomethanes (THMs) can be formed as a result of adding chlorine to water containing high levels of organic material, and though short-term health effects of THMs in water are rare, they are classified as "possibly carcinogenic" according to the HSE.
Commenting on the report, Katherine Walshe, Head of Environmental Regulation with Irish Water, said: “During 2020, we made major investments in new and upgraded plants as well as delivering improvement programmes at our plants to enhance the quality and consistency of supply.
"Our investment continues. We are advancing Drinking Water Safety Plans for all of our larger supplies, with a key emphasis on minimising risks from source to tap. We have engaged extensively and comprehensively with the EPA on this and will prioritise funding towards those schemes at highest risk.
“The report is clear, however, that much more remains to be done to secure water supplies into the future. Irish Water has plans underway to work with Local Authorities and other delivery partners to further enhance our ability to manage public water supplies to the required standards as set out in the Drinking Water Directives.
"Irish Water have also rolled out critical training to all Local Authorities to ensure alarms and controls are in place and are operationally effective to ensure public health is protected now and into the future.”
