E. Coli Breaches Found in Private Water Schemes - EPA Report Highlights Concerns

A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that there have been breaches in E. Coli standards in private group schemes. The Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies 2024 report revealed that 24 private groups failed to meet E. Coli standards in 2024, an increase from 2022. Currently, over 370 private group schemes supply drinking water to 193,000 people in rural Irish communities. Additionally, many businesses and public facilities use water from their private wells. There are nearly 1,700 small private supplies registered with local authorities, but many more are unregistered.

A gap in drinking water legislation means private suppliers are not required to register, leaving the total number of small private supplies unknown. These supplies serve various establishments like schools, nursing homes, sports clubs, and self-catering accommodations. The quality of water in unregistered supplies is not monitored by local authorities.

EPA Director Laura Burke emphasized the need for mandatory registration to ensure public safety. Meeting E. Coli standards is crucial for safe drinking water provision. Failures indicate inadequate disinfection, which must be addressed. The report highlighted that six schemes had repeat E. Coli failures over two years, with five on long-term boil water notices. Noel Byrne from the EPA stressed the importance of suppliers upgrading systems to meet standards and local authorities enforcing regulations to protect public health.

Mr. Byrne called for mandatory registration of businesses supplying water from private wells to ensure proper checks are conducted by local authorities. He noted the slow progress in compliance and urged authorities to take action when needed. The EPA aims to improve the safety of drinking water supplies by making registration mandatory for all suppliers.