Limerick County Council Committed To Providing Quality Drinking Water Supplies

It outlined that it was continuing to implement a series of measures aimed at further improving and intensifying the monitoring of local drinking water supplies, some of which were included by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a Remedial Action List for Public Drinking Water Supplies.

The list includes twelve separate schemes across County Limerick, which featured in an EPA report on drinking water quality issued earlier this year. However, Limerick County Council has already introduced corrective actions for the majority of schemes.

"Limerick County Council has forwarded specific ‘Actions’ items in respect of each item raised by the EPA to both the agency itself and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, with many of these already in place", explained a spokesperson for the Council’s Transportation and Water Services Directorate.

The spokesperson added, "Some of the issues raised by the EPA relate to ‘one-off’ occurrences, which were not indicative of any systematic problem with the water supply or management of the schemes in question. Furthermore, Limerick City Council’s introduction of a new water treatment plant at Clareville has addressed drinking water quality issues for 45% of the population served by the schemes on the Remedial Action List."

"Limerick County Council is continuing its investment in Water Services Infrastructure across County Limerick and has made the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government aware of its overall needs for funding in this regard", concluded the spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the Transportation and Water Services Directorate has said that the introduction of a series of other corrective measures had meant that it was delivering on its objective of providing quality water supplies in a manner that safeguards public health and underpins the sustainable development of County Limerick.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government recently sanctioned the doubling of the number of staff engaged in monitoring in the Council's Environment Laboratory. In addition, sanction has been received for the recruitment of four process technicians to assist with the operational side of water production.

To supplement the improved levels of process control and monitoring, Limerick County Council is also planning to install new in-line monitors, which will give real-time indication of problems occurring in treated water and will alert Council staff to the need for early and timely intervention.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor:
- For further information please contact Mark Dunphy of Dunphy PR on 086-8534900 or media@dunphypr.com

Mark Dunphy
Dunphy Public Relations
www.dunphypr.com
00353-868534900 (mobile)
00353-656839692 (fax)