John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The European Communities (Drinking Water) (No.2) Regulations 2007 prescribe the quality standards to be applied in relation to supplies of drinking water, including requirements relating to sampling and analysis of water to ensure that it meets those standards. The Regulations designate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the supervisory authority for local authority drinking water supplies. The Regulations also stipulate that where a supply of water intended for human consumption constitutes a potential danger to human health, the local authority must ensure that the supply of such water is prohibited, or its use is restricted, and that consumers are informed promptly and given the necessary advice. The EPA must also be notified of such instances.

Neither I nor my Department has received any correspondence on this matter. However, my Department has consulted with Waterford County Council which has confirmed that the source for the supply in question was flooded following heavy rainfall which caused the water to become discoloured. The Council advised that it immediately imposed a boil water notice on the supply and it consulted with the EPA. The Council has confirmed that there was no contamination of the water supply and the boil notice is precautionary. A new groundwater source has been identified and tested by the authority and this is currently being developed with a view to replacing the original supply.