EPA may prosecute Irish Water over water quality problems

The Environmental Protection Agency has said it may prosecute Irish Water over ongoing problems with water supplies in Co Roscommon where boil water notices have been in place for a number of years.

It has also led to much of the hospitality industry being forced to buy in buying in ice sourced from the UK.

The EPA said it has issued Roscommon County Council with 10 "directions" – formal notices to bring water quality up to standard or face prosecution and possible fines in the District Court – since 2007, and a further three notices to Irish Water since June. One of the earlier notices relating to the Boyle/Ardcarne water supply in north Roscommon is due to expire this month.

Deadline

Both Irish Water and the EPA have acknowledged the deadline will not be met. In the meantime 22,000 customers across the county must continue to boil water for washing vegetables, brushing teeth and drinking – for some until 2016. Hotels, restaurants and bars across the county unable to use ice machines have been buying in ice from local supermarkets and the UK.

Other counties also have problems. The EPA lists 141 water supplies on its 2012 remedial action list, meaning the water production plants require a range of actions from increased testing to abandonment.

Kerry has 26, the highest number of plants on the remedial list, and Roscommon has 10.