Wicklow: Water ‘does not meet EU standards’

 

Bray, Greystones and Enniskerry are among 10 water supplies in County Wicklow with elevated THM levels above the standard in drinking water regulations.

THMs or trihalomethanes are chemicals formed by the reaction of naturally occurring dissolved organic material and chlorine which is used for disinfection in order to protect against pathogenic bacteria.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in County Wicklow over 109,000 people are using water supplies where there are elevated level of THMs.

Other locations around the county include Roundwood, Wicklow Regional, Kilcoole, Newtown, Newcastle, Windgates, Aughrim and Annacurra. Irish Water said that they will invest €200 million to upgrade the Vartry water treatment plant.

Planning permission has been submitted to Wicklow County Council seeking permission for a new water treatment plant on the site of the existing plant at Vartry. Work is expected to start in 2017 and will take three years to complete.

The new treatment plant, along with other planned upgrades to the existing site, will secure the water supply for the long-term and ensure the scheme continues to meet standards. Arklow, Avoca, Ballinclash and Kilmacanoge water supplies are also on the EPA’s remedial action list with action to be taken by Irish Water.

©http://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/news/water-does-not-meet-eu-standards-34952592.html

Source: fliuch.org, Aug 13, 2016

Buncrana Together:  The above article lists other areas in Ireland affected but it does not include several areas in Donegal.  See our article "The Emerald Isles' Pure Clear Waters are Swimming in Carcinogenic Trihalomethanes".  It states

"You can download full EPA Drinking Water Remedial Action List Q4 of 2015.  In this you will see Donegal areas highlighted for THM failure (Trihalomethanes), areas include Gashard, Fintown, Greencastle, Pettigo, Portnoo, Rathmullen.  Also mentioned for Donegal are areas lacking in Cryptosporidium barriers; Glenties, Kilcar, Cresslough and Letterkenny."

Public Water Forum's Response to Irish Water's Investment Plan for 2017-2021

This is the full text of the Public Water Forum's response to Irish Water's Investment plan 2017 to 2021 which was published on March 9, 2016.  After reading the report, it seems ironical that such interesting ideas have been ignored especially since this forum was set up by the Government so that the citizens voice is heard.  Why has the report not been more widely disseminated.  Why has the Government and Irish Water not taken any heed of it?  Perhaps it is not what they wanted to hear.

Full text Forums response to Irish Water's 2017-2021 Investment Plan

Public Water Forum Chairperson's Message

Dr Tom Collins, chairman Public Water Forum

The Public Water Forum, established under the Water Services Act (2014), aims to provide a site and a process whereby different approaches and positions concerning the management and development of the water resource in Ireland can be explored and interrogated. A broadly representative body, consisting both of domestic and commercial consumers, the Forum aims to increase public awareness and vigilance concerning such a scarce, necessary and vulnerable resource; to explore innovative approaches to meeting the diverse and sometimes competing demands of water conservation and supply; to draw on international experience in dealing with some of the challenges that Ireland must now address and to ensure that the citizen voice is heard both in Irish Water and the Commission for Energy Regulation.

Original article:Public Water Forum 

‘Irish Water is here to stay,’ Minister of State tells Dáil

Responding to a question about Irish Water issuing bills to commercial customers in two local authority areas, Minister of State Damien English said the legislation to suspend charges was for domestic water charges only and that ‘it is very clear that Irish Water is here to say’. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times.

SF TD says move to transfer commercial water charges to utility is ‘underhanded’

The Government has been accused of being “underhanded” in moving the payment of commercial water charges from local authorities to Irish Water.

Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said that in a pilot project, billing for commercial, non-domestic water charges in counties Monaghan and Meath was being moved from the two local authorities to Irish Water.

The Cavan-Monaghan TD said “it beggars belief” that a decision had been made to transfer such responsibility to Irish Water while the newly appointed water charges commission was starting work on “addressing the future of domestic water charges and the future of Irish Water itself”.

He claimed it was an “inappropriate and underhanded move at this time, especially in light of the Government’s decision to suspend the accruing charges for domestic water provision”.

Minister of State Damien English, whose Meath West constituency is also covered by the billing move, said the legislation to suspend charges was for domestic water charges only.

“It is very clear that Irish Water is here to say,” he said. “There is no question over how public water and wastewater services are to be delivered into the future.”

Remain

He stressed the approach had been accepted that “Irish Water will remain our national water utility”.

Mr Ó Caoláin said “Fianna Fáil has clearly rolled back on its position and the Minister is clearly indicating that the future of the Irish Water entity is guaranteed into perpetuity”.

Mr English said the Bill to suspend domestic water charges “does not provide for any changes to the current water charging regime for non-domestic customers”.

He said the move to Irish Water would improve the situation because there was a variance across the State in how non-domestic customers are billed, “both in tariff type and level of tariff”.

Mr English said “there are 44 tariff structures, with over 500 tariff points in place for non-domestic water and wastewater services”.

He added that “the harmonisation of non-domestic tariffs should lead to greater certainty and simplicity for businesses and other non-domestic customers about the structure and level of charges”.

Original article: Marie O'Halloran, Irish Times, July 14, 2016