APPROXIMATELY 4,600 PEOPLE were put at risk by E. coli failures in unmonitored private drinking water supplies last year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said yesterday.

The EPA released its Drinking Water Quality in Private Group Schemes and Small Private Supplies 2023 report yesterday, and found that one in 20 small private schemes and private group schemes failed to meet the E. coli standards last year. 

There are over 370 group water schemes supplying drinking water to 190,000 people across rural communities in Ireland.

Only 1,665 “small private supplies”, in which many commercial and public premises supply water to the public from their own drinking water well, were registered nationally. Small private supplies (SPS) can include schools, creches, nursing homes, self-catering accommodation and sports clubs.

In Leitrim, only one SPS was registered.

“Unregistered supplies are not being monitored by local authorities, creating a potential public health risk for consumers,” the EPA said.

22 private group schemes failed the standard for E. coli potentially putting the health of approximately 4,600 consumers at risk.

E. coli failures were recorded in 71 small private supplies monitored by local authorities. 

Meeting E. coli standards is a minimum requirement in the provision of safe drinking water and failures indicate a lack of proper disinfection.”

E. coli is a bacteria that can cause mild infections, or serious illness, including kidney damage. 

Between 2019 and 2023, there was €38.5 million available in government funding for investment in improvements to private supply that was not used, the EPA said. 

Programme Manager of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, Noel Byrne, said it was “very disappointing” to see the underspend.

“The EPA welcomes recent improvements to the application process which should make it easier for group water schemes to access funding and deliver improved drinking water quality,” he said.

“However, every effort is needed by suppliers, local authorities, and the Department to get funding to the schemes that need it most.”

The EPA also found that last year, 22 private group schemes supplying 22,000 people failed the standard for Trihalomethanes (THMs), up from 16 schemes serving 16,000 people in 2022. 

Trihalomethanes are chemicals that may be found in water treated with chlorine. There is a legal limit for THMs which suppliers must meet to protect public health.

EPA director, Dr Tom Ryan, said that urgent action is needed to address the failings in relation to drinking water.

“Local authorities must take proactive steps to identify and register small private supplies in their areas and the legislation needs to be amended to make it an offence for a supplier not to be registered, in the interests of public health,” he said.