Ballymahon and Ferbane public water supplies on EPA action list

The drinking water supplies for than 15,000 residents in the wider Ferbane and Ballymahon areas are among those on the latest priority list of vulnerable supplies that require significant corrective action.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes a Remedial Action List of public water supplies that it said were known to be at risk.

No Westmeath or Roscommon supplies were included on the latest available Remedial Action List, which was for the third quarter of 2021.

However, the Ballymahon public water supply, and the Clara - Ferbane Regional Water Supply Scheme both made the list.

The Ballymahon supply was listed because of the need for "reinstatement of pH correction" works. These works had a scheduled completion date of last month, but the EPA said a further three-month period was needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the work before the supply could be removed from the action list.

The Clara and Ferbane supply looks set to remain on the list for some time, as the EPA said an upgrade of its water treatment plant was needed. The plant upgrade is currently not scheduled for completion until June 2024.

The number of at-risk water supplies in Ireland has been reducing, with 46 supplies on the EPA's list at the end of 2020, compared with 77 three years earlier.

In its latest annual report, the EPA said the quality of drinking water in public supplies remained high, and that there was over 99.7% compliance with bacterial and chemical limits.

However, it reiterated the need for continued improvements in water infrastructure to protect public health in the years ahead.

"It is good news that our water is safe to drink today, but we cannot say with confidence that it is resilient into the future," said EPA director, Dr Tom Ryan.

"The EPA remains concerned about the vulnerability of many drinking water supplies nationally. Irish Water needs to fix the remaining supplies on the EPA's Remedial Action List without further delay.

"Recent incidents at Gorey and Ballymore Eustace water treatment plants have highlighted the absolute necessity for Irish Water to ensure our public water supplies are properly and effectively operated, and managed, to protect public health."

Noel Byrne, the EPA's programme manager, pointed out that 15,500 people were on boil water notices for over a month in 2020, and that 145,000 households still had lead connections from water mains.

"Irish Water must expedite lead connection replacements, and progress improvements to disinfection systems, to ensure that the quality of drinking water is adequately safeguarded," said Mr Byrne.

Commenting on the EPA's report, Irish Water said it had highlighted the "continuing high quality" of the public drinking water it was supplying in counties such as Westmeath and Roscommon.

The national water utility, in partnership with Westmeath County Council, is currently upgrading the Athlone Water Treatment Plant and it said this would "improve the water treatment capacity at the existing plant, ensuring a more secure water supply to homes and businesses in the area."