Private water supplies in Kerry failed quality standards in 2023, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA today released its report, Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies – 2023.
The EPA says not enough private water supplies are registered with local authorities, and consumers may not be aware they could be drinking from an unmonitored supply.
The EPA says monitoring results for private group schemes last year show drinking water quality is at 94.1%, down from 96% in 2022, and also well below the 99.95 compliance in public water supplies.
The agency says 22 private group schemes, which supply approximately 4,600 people, failed the standard for E. coli in 2023, in what the EPA called a worrying increase from 13 in 2022.
One private group scheme failed the standard for E. coli last year – the Kells Group Water Supply Scheme.
In addition, 21 schemes supplying around 22,000 people failed the standard for Trihalomethanes.
This is also an increase from 16 supplies in 2022, and the EPA says one factor contributing to this increase is the heavier rainfall events in recent years, associated with climate change.
In Kerry, one private group scheme had a THM failure – the Tousist Group Water Supply Scheme.
The EPA says €38.5 million of government funding that could have been invested in improvements to private supplies between 2019 and 2023 was not used.
The EPA adds private suppliers must register their supply with the local authority, ensure disinfection is operating correctly, and carry out upgrades where required.
The agency is also calling on local authorities to register and monitor all private supplies, and investigate those that fail to meet standards and take necessary enforcement action.
The EPA says the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage should amend legislation to obligate suppliers to register, address issues highlighted, and allocate funding to improve water quality.
