Drinking Water Report for Public Water Supplies 2016

Report for the year 2016 on drinking water in the public water supplies

Summary: This report is an overview of the quality of drinking water in public water supplies during 2016. It is based on the assessment of monitoring results reported to the EPA by Irish Water, and on the EPA’s enforcement activities.

Published: 2017

ISBN: 978-1-84095-722-8

Pages: 44

Filesize: 2,530 KB

Format: pdf

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Key Findings for 2016

Quality of Public Water Supplies 

• The quality of drinking water in public supplies remains high
• Microbiological compliance is better than 99.9%
• Chemical compliance is 99.5%
• 4,000 fewer people on boil notices at end 2016, compared to end 2015

Main issues affecting water quality 

• High levels of disinfection by-products
• Persistent pesticide failures in some supplies
• Large numbers of lead pipe connections in properties 

Progress in 2016

• EPA Remedial Action List down from 115 supplies in 2015 to 99 supplies during 2016
• The downward trend in the number of E.coli failures continued in 2016
• Plans are now in place to deal with key priorities of disinfection, lead and trihalomethanes

Action Required

• Put a plan in place to tackle pesticides in drinking water
• Put Drinking Water Safety Plans in place to protect supplies