Government faces EU legal threat over handling of water pollution

THE threat of legal action by the European Commission hangs over the Government for failing to adhere adequately to the EU drinking water directive. The Commission has cited "evidence of widespread and persistent breaches of EU microbiological quality standards in group water schemes".

Despite significant funding for group schemes and a water and sewerage investment programme of £275 million for 1999, the campaign group, Friends of the Irish Environment, has claimed "the true cost of treating water effectively is in excess of £1 billion".

The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, has initiated a £50 million capital programme over three years for group schemes and recently announced a special allocation of £3 million to tackle "acute water quality problems affecting private group water schemes in rural areas". However, FIE spokesman Mr Tony Lowes claimed: "The cost of treatment for Ireland's 700-plus contaminated water schemes dwarfs the amount budgeted in 1999 for improvement of water quality in Ireland." He added: "We are treating the symptoms, which is not cost-effective. Overgrazing and ill-controlled slurry spreading, as well as poorly constructed and located septic tanks, require radical control to prevent contamination."

The Commission has issued a letter of formal notice of legal action following complaints by FIE, other environmentalists, and individuals based on water quality figures over a three-year period up to 1997. It found a failure to control pollution sources and to ensure adequate water treatment, contrary to the directive, and this was "a serious public health concern". The Commission rejected Ireland's contention that group schemes should be exempt from directive 80/778. A revised directive is being introduced which will place even tougher quality demands on sanitary authorities and water providers.

The chairman of the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, Mr Bernard Keeley, however, defended the work being done to improve schemes but criticised some local authorities for being slow to commit themselves to a new "devolved programme" to address the problems in a partnership approach.