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LAST UPDATE | 17 Sep 2021
MINISTER FOR LOCAL Government Darragh O’Brien said two serious incidents relating to water treatment facilities led to people becoming sick following drinking tap water.
The minister said he was sent a letter by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which detailed how unsafe drinking water was allowed into parts of Dublin city and Gorey in Wexford.
O’Brien said that, in the case of Gorey, “illnesses [were] detected by the HSE in the community served by that water supply”.
In their letter, the EPA stated that an abject failure in management oversight, operational control and responsiveness at two public drinking water treatment plants had allowed unsafe water to enter into the public drinking water supply and endanger public health.
The EPA said it had confirmed at least 52 people who became ill after consuming the water.
These incidents have been rectified and the water supply from the two plants is now safe to drink.
O’Brien said: “I find the failures identified by the EPA concerning and unacceptable – peoples’ safety is paramount. My officials have been in contact with the EPA and Irish Water on the issues raised and I have today spoken with the Managing Director of Irish Water as well as both the Chief Executives of Dublin City Council and Wexford County Council.
“My department has received reports from Irish Water and the EPA and I have now also asked the two local authorities for an immediate report on the incidents. It is essential that all parties work together to put in place effective corrective actions to ensure a safe and secure water supply.”
O’Brien said he has requested that Irish Water audit its “water treatment plant operational arrangements as a matter of urgency and that each local authority provide Irish Water with open and uninhibited access to water treatment plants”.
Irish Water said it investigated an issue with the treatment process that occurred at the plant between 19 and 24 August.
The body said it was made aware that there had been an issue with the treatment process at the Creagh water treatment plant on the 26 August and immediately notified the EPA. The HSE was also consulted on this date.
Following consultation with the HSE, they advised that a Boil Water Notice on the supply was not necessary at this point as the incident had passed and the plant was operating correctly. There have been no issues at the Water Treatment Plant since 24 August.
Irish Water issued communications to customers and stakeholders via elected representatives and on the Irish Water website as soon as a number of reports of illness in the community were received.
“Irish Water has been working with the EPA and Wexford County Council to investigate the incident. Irish Water is also reviewing the disinfection and filtration process at the plant and continue to liaise with the EPA, and our partners in Wexford County Council, to ensure there is no repeat of the issue, with a programme of works now in place.”
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Drinking water became contaminated in North Wexford,several people were taken ill. That should be sufficient. No need to go into all the Gorey details.
@Larry Betts: HI-OHHHH
@Larry Betts: I was combing the article for about 5 mins wondering what the details were. I’m enniscorthified.
@Fred spins kdb: I hope the contamination doesn’t kilmore
@Seán O’Sullivan: hopefully the water is clear now and not to buncloudy….horrendous.
People just need to sue. Money talks. When it becomes a better business case to have proper procedures and staff and systems in place V a public mass civil suit they will take action. This is just unacceptable. I wonder does the management team of the facility drink the water everyday. I bet not.
@Steven Powell: no they get paid o er 100,000 per year
What was the mystery illness? The article didn’t say? I can’t think why a news site would want to play this down to the point of leaving the topic blank. What’s the usual treatment? How long does it last and is a boil notice enough to zap it?
Be handy to know if it’s worms or a 24-hr bug or the runs, just saying.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: This is the new quango norm – one quango, EPA, justifying its existence criticising another quango, Irish Water. All at our expense.
@Michael Reilly: you mean the EPA should be made independent so it can more freely critize other government departments when they deserve it, or it ends up like…
Irish water that increased salaries from 5 to 133 to a €100,000 allowed this to happen? Finger on the pulse stuff here.
Decades of Governments ignoring our vast water infrastructure means it’s now all on the verge of collapse.
.
Crazy stuff
@Eoin McLove: The councils were responsible for water supply, then FF bought an election by abolishing rates and replacing them with nothing. The councils then proceeded to spend their money on vote generating projects rather than boring water supply!
In countries like Spain, you can’t drink water from the tap, you have to buy it. Maybe that’s the way we’re heading.
@Tomaldo: that’s because they’re too busy watering their plastic strawberries . France does the same watering corn in the middle of summer deflating the various rivers . But when like in Ireland you get those level of fresh water such level of mismanagement it’s truly shameful
@Tomaldo: actually you can drink it, is completely safe, but tastes awful
@Tomaldo: It’s been years, but I remember bringing water purifying tablets to Spain. Because we took advice and knew it was better to use them. This is different – no one knew there was a problem and no one could take any precautions.
If covid doesn’t get ye-the water will – might be a song there.
@Margaret Doyle: I’m humming it already, it sounds catchy.
Can’t believe no one here has yet suggested drinking beer instead
Presumably those who can are already stocking up on champagne.
I’ve not been able to drink tap water where I live for 8 years
Tell me there’s been a consistent reduction in staff at the Ballymore Eustace plant without telling me there’s been a consistent reduction in staff.
Ah.. Sure the poor ‘ol lads working at Irish Water aren’t been Paid enough – to worry about doing their Jobs right ..
For a country where it rains every other day, it beggars belief that the infrastructure for supplying untainted drinking water is a complete shambles.
It’s Coveneys fault just because I want it to be
Commercial water going up next month. How many people might have reported somewhere they have eaten for getting sick.
Level Five Lockdown….
EU organises water airlift for Leinster.
Such contamination should be reported within minutes of being confirmed. GDPR rules for personal data violations are stronger but won’t make you sick!
Contamination must be reported immediately for people to take action to protect themselves and their families. Sue the companies, or their managers, for professional negligence.
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