This is a slightly edited copy of a report published by the excellent site run by Icarus in County Mayo. They clearly know their stuff and we strongly recommend you visit them at http://members.aol.com/icarus7789/ograze1.htm or email them.
Icarus take the time to thank honest members of the EPA:
We would like to acknowledge the help of certain co-operative staff members of the EPA for their help in compiling this Web page!
All of Ireland's Group Water Schemes and 50% of state run drinking water have been or are bacteriologically contaminated by E.coli and other yet undetermined bacteriological contaminants.
E.Coli is the nasty bacteria which caused all those deaths in Scotland a few months back....
An analysis of the 'Environmental Protection Agencies' most recent reports (1993 to the beginning of 1995) show that the whole country has a BIG problem and NOT just the rural Group Water Schemes. Despite government denials, Ireland's water supply is on the brink of complete collapse!
The 1995 EPA report 'The Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland' has been published - in December 1996! The EPA publication is seven months later than usual and Icarus Ireland can only conclude that the EPA has been told to withold this report for as long as possible by the Irish government!
The following analysis covers the period Dec 31st 1992 to Jan 1st 1996.
These are the most recent and most 'reliable' publications which summarise the state of drinking water supplies in Ireland. The Icarus Ireland analysis and summaries below deal entirely with bacteriological contamination, which is frequently an indication of intensive agriculture or improper planning and siting of domestic dwellings and septic tanks.
EPA 1995 Report Ommissions
There are some serious ommissions in all of the EPA reports, including the results from some of Ireland's most contaminated supplies. The 1995 report is particularly incomplete.
It appears that some County Councils are not providing results to the EPA. County Mayo is the worst offender. It has failed to provide the vast majority of its water test results to the EPA. Icarus Ireland is currently investigating why the EPA results appear to have been 'doctored' by some County Councils to make them look better!
Despite these attempts to alter the results, the overall summary (when corrected to accomodate the government's omissions) indicates a steady increase in drinking water contamination throughout the country in the three years upto January 1st 1996.
How to read the Results
There are two measurements for contamination referred to in the summaries: Total Coliforms and Faecal Coliforms. The EU directive and WHO standards for acceptable levels for both of these parameters is NIL (zero). Both these contaminants are indicators of some form of bacteriological contamination.
Faecal Coliforms (E.coli) prove recent contamination by the faeces of either an animal or a human being and indicate a high risk for the presence of other (possibly deadly) biological contaminants such as streptococci, parasitic organisms, etc.
If you want to have the details for your village or area, contact Icarus Ireland. They will send you the latest EPA results.
The EPA Comments are 'unreliable propaganda statements'
The comments on water quality in the EPA reports referenced here are completely valueless in general. Even the most illegal and severe E.Coli contaminations are classified by the EPA as "generally satisfactory". This agency can no longer be trusted for its independence and has now largely become a 'mouthpiece' for the Irish government in its attempts to talk down the absolute urgency of Ireland's drinking water crisis.
The EPA says what the Irish Government wants us to believe!
Highlights during 1992-1996:
Summary E.coli/coliform Irish Drinking Water Contamination 1992-1996
(Missing EPA Results also indicated)
|
County/Area |
No of Polluted Supplies 1993 |
No of Polluted Supplies 1994 |
No of Polluted Supplies 1995 |
|
Arklow UDC |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Bray UDC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Co. Carlow |
11 |
8 |
8 |
|
Carrickmacross UDC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Castleblaney UDC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Co. Cavan |
37 |
42 |
18 (24 missing) |
|
Co. Clare |
2 |
10 |
8 |
|
Clones UDC |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Clonmel UDC |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Cork Corporation |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Co. Cork |
52 |
59 |
68 |
|
Co. Donegal |
39 |
40 |
42 |
|
Drogheda UDC |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
Dublin Corporation |
4 |
4 |
5 |
|
Co. Dublin (All in) |
9 |
8 |
7 |
|
Dundalk UDC |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
1 |
5 |
n/a |
|
Galway Corporation |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Co. Galway |
70 |
92 |
98 |
|
Co. Kerry |
44 |
56 |
37 |
|
Co. Kildare |
10 |
9 |
16 |
|
Co. Kilkenny |
10 |
9 |
10 |
|
Co. Laois |
4 |
8 |
12 |
|
Co. Leitrim |
11 |
11 |
4 (10 missing) |
|
Limerick UDC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Co. Limerick |
43 |
44 |
47 |
|
Listowel UDC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Co. Longford |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
Co. Louth |
15 |
12 |
18 |
|
Co. Meath |
11 |
11 |
16 |
|
Monaghan UDC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Co. Monaghan |
16 |
16 |
21 |
|
Co. Mayo |
17 (107 missing) |
55 |
20 (102 missing) |
|
Co. Offaly |
21 |
22 |
18 |
|
Co. Roscommon |
23 |
30 |
29 |
|
Sligo Corporation |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Co. Sligo |
18 |
14 |
14 |
|
Co. Tipperary NR |
6 |
1 |
4 |
|
Co. Tipperary SR |
10 |
11 |
12 |
|
Waterford Corp |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
Co. Waterford |
27 |
16 |
15 |
|
Co. Westmeath |
10 |
13 |
14 |
|
Co. Wexford |
33 |
28 |
22 |
|
Co. Wicklow |
20 |
22 |
25 |
|
Wicklow UDC |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
591 |
674 |
626 |
|
|
Totals |
(107 missing) |
Complete |
(136 missing) |
Now you've seen the summary, take a look at the details behind it. Click below to browse individual water supplies:
Details of the Latest EPA Reports - Contaminated Water Supplies in Ireland
Supporting References
Note 1: Almost every single County Council in Ireland (including Fifty (50) sanitary authorities) had incidents of contamination of their drinking water supplies by coliforms including E.coli during 1993, 1994 and 1995. (Ref. Table A1.3, page 34 of the referenced EPA reports).
There were 4582 tests showing illegal levels of bacteriological contamination. This contamination occurred in 47 out of the 50 participating local authorities (not including Group Water Schemes).
During the 3 year period, ALL Group Water Schemes (and all private water sources) showed contamination, indicated by Coliform/E.Coli counts over EU and WHO limits.
Note 2: During the period, 585 Group Water Schemes were examined in 19 Counties in Ireland. Some 3265 water samples were tested for E.coli. Of these 3265 tests, some 1455 samples showed coliform (total and E.Coli) contamination in contradiction to the EU. and WHO MAC limit for coliforms (zero). (Ref. Table A1.3, page 34 of the referenced EPA reports1).
Note 3: The distribution of contamination across the 3265 tests carried out indicate that most incidents of contamination of Group Water Schemes had levels of contamination between 20 and 500 coliforms /100ml. 78% of all contamination incidents were contamination by more than 20 coliforms /100 mls. There were 1129 water tests producing these results from 1455 contaminated samples. (Ref. Table A1.3, page 34 of the referenced EPA reports 1).
Note 4: Public supply contamination incidence is generally lower than Group Water Scheme contamination because of extreme use of disinfection techniques. However, exceedances over EU. and WHO legal limits for Chlorine, Fluorine and Aluminium in public supplies is also proportionately higher since the incoming water sources to public supplies are grossly contaminated by E.Coli. and other bacteriological pathogens.
Despite disinfection, many public supplies remain grossly contaminated (Note 1)
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