Under legislation (S.I. 160 of 2016) the EPA is responsible for verifying that gross alpha and gross beta activity concentrations in drinking water in Ireland do not exceed 0.1 and 1.0 Bq/l, respectively. If these levels are exceeded, further analysis of that water supply is required to ensure that the annual dose to a consumer of that drinking water does not exceed 0.1 mSv (based on a consumption rate of 730 litres per year). In addition, activity concentrations of radon should not exceed 500 Bq/l.
A national surveillance monitoring programme of the 1,246 drinking water supplies covered by S.I. 160 of 2016 was undertaken by the EPA between 2017 and 2023. This monitoring programme confirmed that the radiological risk to people in Ireland from the consumption of drinking water is low, with few exceedances of the gross alpha/beta activity and radon parameters. There were no instances where the annual dose exceeded 0.1 mSv. An ongoing monitoring programme continues to be in place.
Separate legislation (S.I. 282 of 2016 and S.I. 55 of 2020) is in place for bottled drinking water and the EPA’s Radiation Monitoring Laboratory has been designated by the Department of Health as an “Official Laboratory” for the purposes of analysing radiation in bottled (excluding mineral water) water under S.I. 282 of 2016. The EPA, in conjunction with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the Health Service Executive (HSE), monitors radioactivity in bottled water on an annual basis from each of the 14 bottled water plants in Ireland. Again, this monitoring programme shows that the radiological risk to people in Ireland from the consumption of bottled drinking water is low.
