Unmonitored private drinking water supplies are a potential risk to public health, says EPA.

• Many people in Ireland get drinking water from small private supplies which are not registered or monitored and may therefore be putting their health at risk.
• Only 1,665 small private supplies are registered with local authorities across the country. Unregistered supplies are not being monitored by local authorities.
• The number of private group schemes with E. coli failures increased in 2023, impacting approximately 4,600 people.
• 21 private group schemes, supplying 22,000, people failed the standard for Trihalomethanes (THMs) - up from 16 schemes serving 16,000 people in 2022.
• €38.5 million of available Government funding that could have been invested in improvements to private supplies between 2019-2023 was not used.

24th July 2024: The EPA today released the Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies 2023 report.

There are over 370 group water schemes supplying drinking water to 190,000 people across rural communities in Ireland today.  

In addition, many commercial and public premises supply water to the public from their own drinking water well. These are called small private supplies and can include schools, creches, nursing homes, self-catering accommodation and sports clubs. Only 1,665 small private supplies are registered nationally, and the total number remains unknown.  Unregistered supplies are not being monitored by local authorities, creating a potential public health risk for consumers.

E. coli

One in twenty small private supplies and private group schemes failed to meet E. coli standards in 2023. Twenty-two private group schemes failed the standard for E. coli putting the health of approximately 4,600 consumers at risk.

E. coli failures were recorded in 71 small private supplies, that were monitored by local authorities, posing a risk to consumers that use these supplies. Meeting E. coli standards is a minimum requirement in the provision of safe drinking water and failures indicate a lack of proper disinfection.  

Trihalomethanes (THM)

In 2023, 21 private group schemes supplying 22,000 people failed the standard for Trihalomethanes (THMs), up from 16 schemes serving 16,000 people in 2022. There is a legal limit for THMs which suppliers must meet in order to protect public health.   Greater effort is needed by these private group schemes to improve treatment systems and minimise exposure to THMs.

Launching the report, Dr Tom Ryan, EPA Director said:

“All drinking water produced in Ireland, whether it comes from a public or private supply, should be of high quality. Urgent action is needed by suppliers and local authorities to address these failings, in order to protect the public health of consumers.

Local authorities must take proactive steps to identify and register small private supplies in their areas and the legislation needs to be amended to make it an offence for a supplier not to be registered, in the interests of public health.”

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s review of the rural water sector, completed in January 2023, identifies key issues that must be addressed to improve water quality. While some issues have been progressed, such as simplifying the application process for funding of upgrades for groups schemes, remaining issues must be tackled if improvements in private water quality are to be achieved.

Noel Byrne, Programme Manager of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement said:

“It is very disappointing to see an underspend of €38.5 million of Government support when there are ongoing water quality issues in group water schemes. The EPA welcomes recent improvements to the application process which should make it easier for group water schemes to access funding and deliver improved drinking water quality.  However, every effort is needed by suppliers, local authorities, and the Department to get funding to the schemes that need it most.”

The EPA report on Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies – 2023 is available on the EPA website. 

Further information: Niamh Hatchell, EPA Media Relations Office 053-9170770 (24 hours) or media@epa.ie

Notes to Editor:

Some key findings of the 2023 report on private water supplies:

• 230 (14 per cent) of the 1,665 small private supplies registered were not monitored.
• The percentage of schemes fully compliant with the E. coli standards was as follows:
  • Private group water schemes – 94.1 per cent (22 of 373 failed to meet the standard)
  • Small private supplies – 95.1 per cent (71 of 1,435 failed to meet the standard).
• Twenty one private group schemes failed to meet the Trihalomethanes (THM) standard.
• Monitoring data is available at the following link: SAFER-Data: Welcome to SAFER (epa.ie)

Regulated and Exempt Private Water Supplies

Some private supplies are overseen by the local authority because they are covered by the Drinking Water Regulations. This makes them regulated supplies. Other supplies are not covered by the regulations; these are called exempt supplies. The table below shows which supplies are regulated and which are exempt.

Trihalomethanes

Trihalomethanes (THM) are a by-product of the chlorine disinfection process and are formed where there is an excess of organic matter in the water source. There is a legal limit of 100µg/l for THMs and water suppliers should aim to keep THM levels within the drinking water standards. Twenty-one private group schemes serving approximately 20,000 people failed to meet the standard for trihalomethanes in 2023. In early 2024 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Ireland had failed to fully implement the Drinking Water Directive in relation to THMs in drinking water. Actions to prevent THM failures need to be prioritised, to protect public health.