Environment « Thurles Information

Resilience Of Drinking Water Supplies Must Improve.

The quality of drinking water from public supplies remains very high, with over 99.7 per cent of samples compliant with bacterial and chemical limits.
The number of people served by “at risk” public water supplies has increased again in 2023 to 561,000, up from 481,000. This is primarily due to detections of persistent THM’s and cryptosporidium.
The number of long-term boil water notices was 46 in 2023, almost double the number in 2022.
One in twenty supplies failed to meet the THM standard in 2023.
Progress to remove lead from our supply networks to protect public health is far too slow.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ‘Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies Report 2023’ released today, shows that over 99.7% of public water supplies comply with bacterial and chemical limits, which means our public water is safe to drink.

However, many supplies still lack robust treatment measures to guarantee their long-term resilience and safety. The EPA’s Remedial Action List (RAL) identifies “at-risk” supplies that require improvements to safeguard public health.
In 2023 there has been a further increase in the number of people served by supplies on the RAL (up to 561,000 – from 481,000).
While it is positive to note that ten supplies were removed from the RAL following improvement works, the EPA – through enforcement and assessment activities – have identified a further nine “at-risk” supplies that were added, primarily for THM and Cryptosporidium exceedances.

Good progress has been made in other areas such as disinfection, progression of the Drinking Water Safety Plan approach and making the lead remediation grant easier for the public to access.

Launching the report, Dr Tom Ryan, EPA Director said: “Our public water quality remains very high, which means that the public can remain confident that drinking water supplied to their homes is safe to drink. However, the resilience of drinking water supplies isn’t robust enough as evidenced by more “at-risk” supplies being identified by the EPA, and an almost doubling of long-term boil water notices in 2023. Implementing the findings of Drinking Water Safety Plans will be crucial to improve the resilience of supplies- this will require corresponding sustained investment in water services to continue to provide the people of Ireland with a safe and secure supply into the future.”

One in twenty supplies failed to meet the Trihalomethane (THM) standard in 2023 and supplies on the RAL for THM’s are impacting almost 300,000 people. Greater effort is needed by Uisce Éireann to implement improvements at supplies, to minimise exposure to THM’s, including at major supplies such as Limerick City, and Kilkenny City.

With regard to lead in drinking water, Mr Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, said: “Lead in our drinking water is a cumulative risk to human health and must be removed from our drinking supply network. Despite Ireland having a National Lead Strategy in place since 2015 progress to date has been far too slow. Uisce Éireann must accelerate the rollout of their lead mitigation plan to deal with the public supply network; the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Department of Health must outline their plans for lead replacement in public buildings and householders with lead pipes in their homes should avail of the enhanced lead remediation grant scheme to protect their health.”

In 2023, boil water notices impacted 254,000 people. Half of boil water notices were in place for more than 30 days, nearly double the number from 2022. This recent trend of significantly more long-term boil water notices needs to be reversed by Uisce Éireann and requires proactive measures to address the underlying causes and improve the resilience of these supplies.

The EPA Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies 2023 Report and the complete list of public water supplies currently on the Remedial Action List – including details of the proposed remedial measures and associated timeframes – are available on the EPA website linked above.

Sinn Féin In Breach Of Legislation Governing Election Posters In Thurles.

Yet one other giant election poster has been located in Thurles town, Co. Tipperary, which should be recognised immediately as being currently in breach of the legislation governing election posters.

The Sinn Féin (better known as ‘The Angry Party’) poster advertises the availability of the now newly elected EU candidate Ms Kathleen Function, formerly Teachta Dála for Carlow–Kilkenny and wife of David Cullinane T.D of “Up the Republic, Up the ‘Ra and Tiocfaidh ár lá” fame, latter phrase understood to support the activities of the Provisional IRA.

The above poster photographed today appears to have broken at least 3 rules:
(1). Legislation requires that every notice, bill, poster or similar document, having reference to a referendum or Dáil, Local or European Parliament election or distributed for the purpose of furthering the candidature of any candidate at an election, must have printed on its face the name and address of the printer. The omission of the name and address of the printer is an offence. Where a person is guilty of an offence, such person shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine or, at the discretion of the court, to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such a fine and such imprisonment.
(2). Posters should be erected at a minimum height of 2.3 metres above any area to which pedestrians have access.
(3). Any election/referendum posters in place after the stipulated time-frame are deemed to be in breach of the legislation and are subject to an on-the-spot litter fine of €150. The rules were made quite clear, prior to the election date; ‘All posters must be removed by “Friday 14th June 2024 (midnight)”. If posters are in place outside of this date, fines will be issued by the Council at the rate of €150 per poster.

Since this poster shown above also advertises the availability of now failed candidate, Senator Mr Paul Gavan, should the fine now be doubled?

Radon Still Main Source Of Radiation Exposure For Irish Public.

Radon is still the main source of radiation exposure for the Irish public, say EPA and HIQA.

The ‘Ionising Radiation – National Dose Report’ assessed the radiation exposure received from the air we breathe, medical exposures, our diet and exposure to radiation in our environment.
Over 99% of radiation dose received comes from natural sources of radiation, and medical exposures such as X-rays and CT scans.
Nearly 60% of the dose is due to the radioactive gas Radon.
10 % of the dose comes from medical exposures, mainly from medical imaging.
7% comes from our food and drinking water.
This assessment found that the average dose remains similar to that found a decade ago.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) today published a new assessment of the average radiation doses received by the Irish population. The Ionising Radiation – National Does Report assessed the radiation exposure over the last five years received from the air we breathe, medical exposures, our diet, and exposures to radiation in our environment.

This is an update of a 2014 assessment, and the current assessment found that the average dose remains similar to that found a decade ago. The assessment found that over 99% of the average radiation dose comes from natural sources of radiation, and medical exposures such as X-rays and CT scans. Medical exposure alone can account for just over 10% of a person’s total exposure or dose.

The assessment found:

Nearly 60% of the dose is due to the radioactive gas Radon in indoor air, with over 8% coming from exposure to another radioactive gas, Thoron.
10% of the dose comes from medical exposures, mainly from medical imaging.
9% comes from cosmic radiation, of which 2% is due to exposure received if flying.
7% comes from our food and drinking water.
6% comes from radiation from the ground as gamma radiation.

People in Ireland receive a slightly higher average radiation dose than the European average, mainly due to radon exposure in the home and in the workplace. Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, contributes almost 60% of the annual dose. This is of concern as radon is a major cause of lung cancer.

Over 7% of the average annual radiation dose comes from radiation in food and drinking water, the source of which is mainly naturally occurring radiation.

Radioactivity from artificial sources, such as discharges from nuclear facilities abroad, fallout from historic nuclear weapons testing and past nuclear accidents make up less than 1% of overall exposure.

Dr Micheal Lehane, EPA Director said, “Radon is the largest contributor to radiation dose in Ireland. If there is a high radon level in your home, it is exposing you and your family to unnecessary radiation. The good news is that radon is easy to test for and solutions are available to reduce high levels where necessary. When building a house it is critical to seal the base of the building to prevent radon from getting into your house in the first place. For existing houses, we urge people to test for radon, and remediate if necessary, as this is the only way of protecting you and your family from this cancer-causing gas.”

As part of the assessment, HIQA reviewed radiation exposure to patients, finding that the average amount of radiation from medical exposure has decreased. This is in part due to improvements in the overall reduction of exposure to patients and increased access to new and improved medical imaging.

Mr Sean Egan, HIQA’s Director of Healthcare Regulation, said, “It is encouraging to see the decrease in amounts of ionising radiation received from medical exposures over the past 10 years. Since HIQA began regulating ionising radiation facilities in 2019, we have seen increased compliance with the regulations year-on-year. This means that services are considering how best to use equipment to meet the intended diagnostic or treatment goal while keeping exposure of the patient as low as possible, reducing the risk of harm to patients. We will continue to engage with services to ensure that this good practice continues.”

FSAI Report Prohibition Order On Tipperary Food Business.

Today Wednesday, June 12th 2024, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported that nine Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during the month of May for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).

One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998, on:

The Village Grocer, Upper Main Street, Ballyporeen, Co. Tipperary.

Four Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Johnson Best Food African Take Away, 86 Summerhill, Summerhill, Dublin 1
Dublin Pizza Company (take away), 32 Aungier Street & 35 Aungier Street, Dublin 2
Mizzonis Pizza (take away), 15 Prospect Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
D1 Cafe and Bakery, 52 Dorset Street Lower, Dublin 1

Two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act 1998 on:

Istanbul Bite (Closed area: boiler room and potato peeling room) (take away), Upper Cork Hill, Youghal, Cork
Applegreen Cobh (fuel pumps external to the shops are not subject to this Closure Order), Tiknock, Cobh, Cork

Two Prohibition Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Fresh Oriental Store Limited, 30-32 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1
Johnson Best Food African Take Away, 86 Summerhill, Dublin 1

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in May include: evidence of rodent infestation, including dead rodents in multiple areas, including under a fridge and under shelves on the shop floor; raw fish defrosting at room temperature in a dirty container on the floor of the kitchen area; accumulation of dirt, cobwebs and dead insects on floors; inadequate cleaning and a build-up of waste stored in a room next to toilets with foul odour and flies present; no hot water, soap or paper towels available at the wash hand basin in the staff toilet; absence of an adequate food safety culture particularly regarding training of staff.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, said that breaches of food safety legislation pose a real danger to consumer health. She stated that “This month has seen a decrease in Closure Orders from April, with a reduction of over 50% in orders served. However, the fact remains that food safety is not an optional luxury when operating a food business. It is a legal requirement in food law to protect the health of consumers. By neglecting to uphold basic food safety and hygiene standards, a business not only jeopardises the health of its customers, but also risks damaging its own reputation as a trustworthy food business. The food industry must continue to improve its adherence to food safety legislation to ensure consumers’ health is protected.”

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months, from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month from the date the Order was lifted.

EPA Warn – No Signs Of Improvement In Water Quality – More Action Needed.

There are no signs yet of an improvement in water quality and more action is needed, says Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

There has been no significant change in any of the water quality indicators for Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwaters in 2023 and no sign of improvement overall.
While improvements are happening in some rivers and lakes, these are being offset by declines elsewhere.
The biggest issue impacting water quality is nutrient pollution from agriculture and wastewater.
Average nitrate levels in rivers, groundwater, estuaries and coastal waters are largely unchanged and remain too high in the east, southeast and south.
Average phosphorus levels in rivers and lakes are also largely unchanged and remain too high in over one quarter (27%) of rivers and one third (35%) of lakes.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published Water Quality in 2023: An Indicators Report. The report provides an update of the key indicators of the quality of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal and groundwaters using monitoring data collected in 2023.

Overall, the report shows that there has been no significant change in water quality. Water quality in Ireland is not improving and nutrient levels remain too high in a large proportion of water bodies. The biological health of our rivers and our lakes have shown small net declines. While some improvements are being made, these are being offset by declines elsewhere.

Photograph taken **today 12th June 2024**, **of the appalling state of River Suir water quality at Barry’s Bridge, Thurles town centre, Co. Tipperary.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

Commenting on the report, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment, said: “It is disappointing to report that our water quality is not improving. While there are initiatives happening nationally, measures to address water quality are not being implemented at the scale or pace required. The quality of our water bodies will not improve until nutrient levels are reduced in areas where they are elevated. It is essential that there is full compliance with the Good Agricultural Practice Regulations and that actions to reduce losses of nutrients from agriculture are targeted to where they are needed. We also need to see an acceleration in the pace at which Uisce Éireann is delivering improvements in wastewater infrastructure.”

Photograph taken **today, 12th June 2024**, of street drain waste water run-off, including plastic paper and possibly toilet paper, being allowed to enter the river Suir at Barry’s Bridge, Thurles town centre, Co. Tipperary.
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

Nitrogen pollution remains a significant issue in the east, southeast and south of the country. 42% of river sites, 17% of estuarine and coastal waters and 20% of groundwater sites all have nitrogen levels that are unsatisfactory. This is primarily attributable to intensive agricultural activities on freely draining soils in these areas.

Phosphate levels can fluctuate annually but overall there has been no significant change over recent years. Some 27% of river sites and 35% of lakes (particularly in the north and northeast) have elevated phosphorus levels. Phosphorus entering our waters is largely associated with poorly treated wastewater and run-off from agricultural lands with poorly draining soils.

**Appalling state of River Suir at Barry’s Bridge, central Thurles town, pictured today 12th June 2024.**
*Pic: G. Willoughby*.

Ms Mary Gurrie, EPA Programme Manager, added: “The report shows that more action is needed to achieve our legally binding water quality objectives. It is imperative that the next River Basin Management Plan, which is now over two years late, is published without further delay. Associated with this, there needs to be a significant improvement in the tracking and reporting of measures, to identify what is and isn’t working so that actions can be adapted or enhanced where needed to deliver water quality improvements.”

Readers Please Note:

Nitrate: Nitrate is a form of nitrogen which is a nutrient and essential for plant growth. Too much nitrogen in a water body can lead to the over-growth of plants and algae that outcompete and displace other flora and fauna. This excessive growth can also cause oxygen depletion and damage the ecology of our water bodies. Our estuaries and coastal waters are particularly sensitive to high nitrogen concentrations. The main source of excess nitrate in the environment is agriculture, with wastewater also contributing. Nitrate concentrations above the Drinking Water Standard can pose a risk to human health, particularly for young children.

Phosphorus: Phosphorus is a nutrient which is essential for plant growth. As with nitrogen, too much phosphorus in a water body can lead to the over-growth of plants and algae which disturb the ecosystem. Excess phosphorus is a particular concern for the ecological health of rivers and lakes. The main sources of excess phosphorus in the environment are agriculture and wastewater as shown in pictures featured above.

Water Quality in 2023: An Indicators Report is now available on the EPA website, HERE.

Further information on water quality is available on External link HERE.