Many residents of Ireland are adversely impacting their health by consuming water from unregistered or unchecked small private sources, according to a warning issued by the EPA. An upward trend in E.coli contamination and heightened presence of potentially harmful trihalomethanes (THMs) compared to the previous year was highlighted in their report on water quality for the year 2023.
Out of every 20 small private provisions and private group systems, one failed to meet the E.coli standard in 2023. This affected an estimated 4,600 people, as the bacteria signifies the occurrence of faecal material from human or animal origins.
A total of 21 private group schemes, catering to 22,000 people, fell short of the THM standard. This is an increase from 16 failed schemes which catered to 16,000 individuals in 2022. THMs are formed when chlorine disinfectant reacts with organic matter present in the drinking water. Certain studies have suggested potential linkages between cancer and sustained exposure to THMs.
Over 370 water group schemes are functioning to provide clean drinking water to rural settlements, serving approximately 190,000 people. Several businesses and public buildings also draw on their private wells to supply water. Such small private sources can serve schools, care homes, nurseries, self-catering accommodation and sports clubs.
A mere 1,665 small private providers are officially registered with local governing bodies across Ireland, but the actual number is elusive. Non-registered supplies escape surveillance by local authorities. In total, 22 private group systems and 71 small private sources monitored by local authorities did not meet the compulsory E.coli standard.
Dr Tom Ryan, the director of the EPA, emphasised the necessity of high-quality drinking water, regardless of whether it’s sourced from public or private supplies. He called for immediate measures from suppliers and local governing bodies to rectify these shortcomings for the safety of public health. He further added that local authorities need to actively identify and register small private sources within their jurisdictions. He called for changes to the law to make the lack of supplier registration illegal.
Noel Byrne from the EPA’s environmental enforcement department expressed his disappointment at the fact that €38.5 million of government support was not utilised, especially at a time when group water schemes are continuously grappling with water quality issues. He commended recent amendments made to the grant application process, which he believes will simplify the procedure for these water schemes to obtain the required funds. However, according to him, it is imperative that suppliers, local councils, as well as the Housing Department, intensify their efforts to channel these funds to the most necessitous schemes. The related report can be found on the EPA’s online portal.