Over 21,000 people in Kerry are living in areas served by “at-risk” drinking water supplies.
That’s according to the EPA Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies Report 2022, which was published today.
In its report, the EPA has identified a priority list of 58 “at-risk” drinking water supplies, which must be improved to ensure these supplies are safe to drink.
The report shows there are six water supplies in Kerry on this list; those six supplies serve over 21,500.
Water supplies are placed on this priority list if water treatment at the supply is not adequate.
The Environmental Protection Agency says people can become ill from drinking inadequately-treated water - especially vulnerable people, such as the young and the elderly.
The six supplies in Kerry on this list are the Listowel Regional Public Water Supply Scheme, Lyreacrompane, Aughacasla, Caragh Lake, Cahersiveen, and Kilgarvan.
All six failed to meet the standard for THMs last year – this is a chemical substance which forms when natural material in the water source, such as vegetation, reacts with chlorine in the disinfection treatment process.
The Cahersiveen supply also failed on the standards for an organism called cryptosporidium, which can cause serious gastro-intestinal illness.
Caragh Lake’s water supply, which has been on the priority list since 2008, was also placed on the list last year for control issues at the treatment plant.
The report showed that the Tieraclea/Tarbert Public Water Supply, and the Listowel Regional Public Water Supply Scheme, separately had failures for pesticide levels in the water in 2022.
Action plans to resolve the issues for Aughacasla and Caragh Lake have been completed and are awaiting verification on their effectiveness.
Issues in the Cahersiveen supply are estimated to be resolved entirely by the middle of next year, and Kilgarvan by the end of 2024.
Uisce Éireann has not yet submitted any completion dates for action plans to address issues with the Listowel Regional Public Water Supply, or the Lyreacrompane supply.
