THE QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER IN IRELAND A REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2001 Environmental Protection Agency Establishment The Environmental Protection Agency Act, - preparation and implementation of a 1992, was enacted on 23 April, 1992, and national hydrometric programme for the under this legislation the Agency was collection, analysis and publication of formally established on 26 July, 1993. information on the levels, volumes and flows of water in rivers, lakes and Responsibilities groundwaters; and The Agency has a wide range of statutory duties and powers under the Act. The main - generally overseeing the performance by responsibilities of the Agency include the local authorities of their statutory following: environmental protection functions. - the licensing and regulation of Status large/complex industrial and other The Agency is an independent public body. processes with significant polluting Its sponsor in Government is the potential, on the basis of integrated Department of the Environment and Local pollution control (IPC) and the Government. Independence is assured application of best available technologies through the selection procedures for the for this purpose; Director General and Directors and the freedom, as provided in the legislation, to - the monitoring of environmental quality, act on its own initiative. The assignment, including the establishment of databases under the legislation, of direct responsibility to which the public will have access, for a wide range of functions underpins this and the publication of periodic reports independence. Under the legislation, it is a on the state of the environment; specific offence to attempt to influence the Agency, or anyone acting on its behalf, in - advising public authorities in respect of an improper manner. environmental functions and assisting local authorities in the performance of Organisation their environmental protection functions; The Agency’s headquarters is located in Wexford and it operates five regional - the promotion of environmentally sound inspectorates, located in Dublin, Cork, practices through, for example, the Kilkenny, Castlebar and Monaghan. encouragement of the use of environmental audits, the setting of Management environmental quality objectives and the The Agency is managed by a full-time issuing of codes of practice on matters Executive Board consisting of a Director affecting the environment; General and four Directors. The Executive Board is appointed by the Government - the promotion and co-ordination of following detailed procedures laid down in environmental research; the Act. - the licensing and regulation of all Advisory Committee significant waste disposal and recovery The Agency is assisted by an Advisory activities, including landfills and the Committee of twelve members. The preparation and periodic updating of a members are appointed by the Minister for national hazardous waste management the Environment and Local Government plan for implementation by other bodies; and are selected mainly from those nominated by organisations with an interest - implementing a system of permitting for in environmental and developmental the control of VOC emissions resulting matters. The Committee has been given a from the storage of significant quantities wide range of advisory functions under the of petrol at terminals; Act, both in relation to the Agency and to the Minister. - implementing and enforcing the GMO Regulations for the contained use and deliberate release of GMOs into the environment; THE QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER IN IRELAND A REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2001 Environmental Protection Agency An Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil P.O. Box 3000, Johnstown Castle Estate, Co. Wexford, Ireland. Telephone : +353-53-60600 Fax : +353-53-60699 e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.epa.ie © Environmental Protection Agency 2002 Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the material contained in this publication, complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the author(s) accept any responsibility whatsoever for loss or damage occasioned or claimed to have been occasioned, in part or in full, as a consequence of any person acting or refraining from acting, as a result of a matter contained in this publication. Parts of this publication may be reproduced without further permission, provided the source is acknowledged. THE QUALITY OF DRINKING WATER IN IRELAND A REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2001 Authors:- Mr. Darragh Page, Mr. Gerard O’Leary, Ms. Avril Boland, Dr. Conor Clenaghan and Dr. Matt Crowe. ISBN 1-84095-097-8 Price €26.00 11/02/750 Contents SUMMARY . viii 1. INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1. THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (DRINKING WATER) REGULATIONS, 1988. 1 1.2. THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (DRINKING WATER) REGULATIONS, 2000. 4 2. PARAMETER BY PARAMETER ANALYSIS OF DRINKING WATER . 9 2.1. INTRODUCTION. 9 2.2. ALUMINIUM . 10 2.3. AMMONIUM . 13 2.4. TOTAL & FAECAL COLIFORMS . 14 2.5. COLOUR . 20 2.6. FLUORIDE . 21 2.7. HEAVY METALS. 24 2.8. IRON . 25 2.9. MANGANESE . 27 2.10. NITRATE . 29 2.11. NITRITE . 33 2.12. ODOUR. 34 2.13. TASTE. 35 2.14. pH . 36 2.15. TRIHALOMETHANES . 38 2.16. TURBIDITY . 39 2.17. CRYPTOSPORIDIUM . 41 2.18. NEW PARAMETERS INTRODUCED IN THE 2000 REGULATIONS . 42 2.19. PARAMETERS WITH REVISED STANDARDS IN 2000 NEW REGULATIONS . 44 3. SANITARY AUTHORITY RESULTS . 49 3.1. INTRODUCTION. 49 3.2. CARLOW . 50 3.3. CAVAN . 52 3.4. CLARE . 54 3.5. CLONMEL . 56 3.6. CORK CITY . 57 3.7. CORK (NORTHERN AREA). 58 3.8. CORK (SOUTH AREA). 60 3.9. CORK (WEST AREA) . 61 3.10. DONEGAL . 62 iii 3.11. DROGHEDA . 63 3.12. DUBLIN CITY . 64 3.13. DUNDALK . 65 3.14. DUN LAOGHAIRE-RATHDOWN . 66 3.15. ENNIS . 67 3.16. FINGAL . 68 3.17. GALWAY CITY . 69 3.18. GALWAY (COUNTY) . 70 3.19. KERRY . 72 3.20. KILDARE . ..