EU likely to take Ireland to court as poor quality of water supplies poses a threat to public health

The European Commission is likely to proceed with a legal action against the Government following the latest report on the quality of Irish drinking water. It considers that the poor quality of many Irish water supplies is endangering public health and is indicative of extensive water pollution, The Irish Times understands.

The annual report from the Environmental Protection Agency on drinking waters shows a significant deterioration of supplies in group schemes, which supply 20 per cent of Irish households; 8 per cent of public supplies were considered unacceptable.

The report, issued yesterday, confirms that many private group schemes in rural areas continue to be so contaminated by bacteria such as E. coli - and often from faecal sources - that they are unfit for consumption. A total of 42 per cent of group schemes contained coliform bacteria, including E. coli (but not the more serious type, E. coli O157), an increase of 7 per cent on 1997.

A senior Commission official in the environment directorate general told The Irish Times the finding "underlines there is a serious problem". It meant the Commission was more inclined to take the Government to the Court of Justice, as it had threatened to do.

In rural areas with a large number of small or private schemes, chlorination or disinfection of water was not being carried out or was wholly ineffective, the EPA noted. In other instances, it was excessive.

The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, acknowledged the threat of legal action hangs over the Government. A recent amendment to drinking water regulations had, however, provided a statutory basis for urgently tackling these problems, he said.

Last year's figures for group schemes, while of concern, may be due to a different set of schemes being monitored to the previous year, the EPA said. A systematic evaluation of all group schemes had begun this year in partnership with local authorities, the National Federation of Group Water Schemes (NFGWS) and the Department of the Environment. Irish drinking water supplies were generally satisfactory, it insisted.

The report is based on almost 17,000 samples taken from some 2,300 supplies. The figures show increases in levels of coliform bacteria and nitrate. While these are slight overall, they are unwelcome, the report says. "The fact remains that technically (and legally) significant numbers of drinking waters are still bacteriologically unfit for human consumption."

Coliform results are a key indicator of quality. Almost 13 per cent of samples checked had excessive levels of such bacteria. Five per cent of public supplies had faecal coliforms, indicating the presence of sewage or farm animal wastes. Three per cent of such supplies had non-coliform bacteria, indicating that cleaning or maintenance of distribution systems was overdue.

Badly-sited septic tanks or slurry pits are mainly responsible for faecal contamination, though increasing rural housing may also put a strain on supplies and also can be a serious health risk, the report notes. Nitrate levels, which may arise from this, were on the increase and needed to be carefully watched.

Mr Bernard Kealey of the NFGWS said the report showed the urgent need to redress a "bleak picture" of continuing quality decline, particularly for rural dwellers. "Too many councils are still not targeting those privately-sourced schemes where the greatest problems exist."

A priority list of schemes needing improvement was required, though he accepted the Government's rural water programme was being expedited. Newer technologies such as ozone treatment were being tested. The most pressing problems were with schemes which take water from private sources and service less than 5 per cent of households, Mr Dempsey said.

In anticipation of the findings, the Government had committed £420 million in the National Plan for upgrading rural water supplies. County-level strategies "involving a root-and-branch examination of all rural water supply systems" were being developed to safeguard public health and ensure best practice with private schemes.