EPA flag concerns over contamination in private water supplies

One in 20 private water supplies have E.coli contamination and are of "significant concern", according to the latest report by the EPA.

The EPA today released the Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies 2020 report. Drinking water is provided by over 380 group water schemes to approx. 200,000 people across rural communities. Over 1,700 small private supplies - such as hotels, pubs and restaurants, crèches, nursing homes and national schools - also provide water to staff, customers and service users on a daily basis.

In 2020, a total of 20 of the 380 private group schemes - serving more than 2,900 people - and 49 of the 1,225 small private supplies monitored, were found to have E.coli contamination.

“Consumers should expect, as a minimum, that their water is safe to drink," said Dr Tom Ryan, Director of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement. "However, compliance with the E.coli standard is not as good as it should be for water from private group water schemes and small private supplies. It is essential that works to improve water quality are carried out as soon as possible to eliminate the serious risks to people’s health. Water suppliers are obliged to make sure drinking water is clean and wholesome for consumers.”

THM

The report also flagged some concerns over the presence of Trihalomethanes (THM). THM are a by-product of the chlorine disinfection process and are formed where there is an excess of organic matter in the water source. Water suppliers are expected to keep THM levels within the drinking water standards to avoid any possible health impacts from long term exposure. Twenty-two private group schemes (7%) failed to meet the standard for THM, including seven schemes that the European Commission has identified as being of particular concern.

The report also shows that over one quarter of small private supplies, serving food businesses, nursing homes, crèches and B&Bs, were not monitored in 2020.

Noel Byrne, Programme Manager of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, said: “We recognise that, in many cases, the failure to monitor these premises was due to difficulties in accessing premises during Covid-19 restrictions. However, it is vitally important that Local Authorities ensure all water supplies are monitored annually to provide assurance to consumers that their drinking water is safe.”