THERE was good news last week for the 6,400 people relying on the public water supply in Abbeyfeale, as the Environmental Protection Agency removed it from its Remedial Action List (RAL).
The latest report from the agency shows that Irish Water has reduced the number of schemes on the RAL in Limerick from 13 to two since 2015.
The RAL identifies drinking water supplies that are “at risk of failing to consistently supply safe, clean drinking water”.
The Abbeyfeale water supply was given the thumbs up by the EPA following an extensive campaign, run in conjunction with the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG), to raise awareness of responsible pesticide use in the wider River Feale catchment area.
Works are continuing on two other supplies on the RAL in Limerick, the Croom and Newcastle West water supplies, with a view to having them removed from the RAL as soon as possible.
Deirdre O’Loughlin, water compliance specialist with Irish Water, said: “The publication of the latest RAL by the EPA confirms that while improvements have been made in many areas, the scale of the challenge faced by Irish Water in ensuring the delivery of clean and safe water in Limerick and throughout the country remains.
“As a single national utility, Irish Water has been able to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of Ireland’s drinking water treatment plants and focus investment where the risk to our customers is highest. Nationally Irish Water has adopted a prioritised programme of works which will require an investment of €2 billion by 2021.
Irish Water is working in partnership with local authorities to address the issues affecting the water supplies which remain on the RAL and to bring them to a standard where the EPA determines that they can be removed.”
by Kathy Masterson
