EPA investigates over 100 drinking water breaches

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigated over 100 breaches of drinking water standards last year.

The agency’s annual report for 2007, published today, shows it served 22 directions on sanitary authorities about drinking water issues, including a direction to Galway City Council in relation to the cryptosporidium outbreak in March 2007.

Public water suppliers are now required to notify the EPA of breaches in standards and to comply with any directions given by the agency under new legislation which came into force last year.

The EPA has also drawn up a “remedial” list of public water supplies which it says require enforcement action or further improvement.

The report says the agency focused its efforts on identifying the areas of greatest risk to both the security and safety of drinking water supply in Ireland and the steps that need to be taken to minimise these risks.

Last year the EPA established a special climate change unit to merge all its activities in relation to the issue and to reflect its increased activity in the area.

The agency is responsible for implementing emissions trading of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in Ireland.

The trading scheme applies to the large producers of GHGs – such as the cement and power generation industries as well as other large users of fossil fuels.

The report says that all operators surrendered the required amount of allowances, by the end of April 2007, to match their verified emissions, ensuring that Ireland was 100 per cent compliant with the scheme.

The agency’s director general Mary Kelly said 2007 will be seen as a watershed year for climate change and this is reflected in the increased activity of the EPA in the climate change area during 2007.

“There is now a heightened global awareness of the fact that we are living in a world that is experiencing climate change and that the time for action is short if we are to avoid the potentially calamitous impacts that climate change might bring about,” she said.