Seven Tipperary water supply areas were listed as 'at risk' by the EPA last year

Seven Tipperary water supply regions were considered at risk in 2022. 

That is according to a new report by the EPA. 

The supplies in Roscrea, Nenagh Regional, Galtee Regional, Borrisokane, Kilcash and Templetouhy were all on the Remedial Action List in 2022. 

The Remedial Action List or RAL is a list of water supplies where bacteria, protozoan organisms or chemical substances were detected. Or there were issues with the operations of the treatment plant. 

TIPPERARY

The Clonmel-Poulavanogueis supply, which serves almost 2,500 people, is currently on the list for inadequate disinfection and for protozoan organisms.

The issues with the Clonmel-Poulavanogueis were to be resolved in June 2023 for inadequate disinfection and the cryptosporidium risk is to be resolved by December 2026. 

This is the date when the works are to be complete, but a testing period is required before the supply can be removed from the list. 

Borrisokane, Templetouhy, and Kilcash are all on RAL because of protozoan organisms. 

The works are to be completed by June 2023 for Borrisokane, and no date was given for Templetouhy or Kilcash. 

Protozoan orgnisms have also been detected in the Galtee Regional supply, but that water supply is on the list for treatment control issues or upgrade. 

Protozoan organisms like Cryptosporidium and Giardia can cause serious gastrointestinal illness. 

The Galtee Regional supply works are to be completed by 2026. 

The Nenagh Regional supply was placed on the RAL for Trihalomethanes (TMHs) levels, and works were to be completed by January 2023. 

According to the HSE, trihalomethanes are formed when chlorine meets organic matter like vegetation.  

The HSE says that short-term health effects are rare but Trihalomethanes are considered ‘possibly carcinogenic,’ to humans. 

However, evidence of that, they say, is very limited. 

Pesticide failure was detected in the Carrick-On-Suir and Dundrum supplies, but they are not on the RAL. 

NATIONWIDE

Nationwide, 58 supplies were on the RAL last year.

The Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies report published today is an assessment of water quality in Ireland in 2022. 

The report found that compliance rates across the country were above 99% in microbiological, chemical parameters, and indicator parameters. 

So, they say the drinking water is safe to drink.