Water Services

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Carlow Local Authorities Public Water Supplies

Carlow County Council is providing up to date information concerning the drinking water supplies in Carlow. The spreadsheet of results will be updated on a monthly basis into the future. Carlows water supplies are maintained to ensure they comply with drinking water standards and therefore The Council carry out an ongoing representative sampling programme throughout the year.

Carlow County Council provides a public water supply to the highest quality standards. The most recent Environmental Protection Agency report " The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland - A Report for the Years 2007 – 2008 " shows the following levels of compliance with Micro, Chemical and Indicator parameters:

Public water compliance levels
Supply Type MicroChemicalIndicator
Public Water Supplies 99.6% 99.3% 97.3%
Public Group Water Schemes 100% 100% 100%

Compliance with the chemical standards in public water supplies and group water schemes was generally good ( 99% ) with the exception of a small number of fluoride exceedances ( due to a tighter fluoride standard introduced in 2007 ), one lead exceedance ( due to localised plumbing ) and one nitrate exceedance in a public water supply. The latter was in the Nurney public water supply which has since been replaced and connected to the Carlow Town water supply.

There are currently 6 public water supplies operated by Carlow County Council on the Remedial Action List ( RAL ) of public water supplies. A total of 2 supplies in Carlow County were added to the RAL in 2008 while none were removed. Of the supplies currently on the RAL, Carlow County Council indicates that 3 supplies will be upgraded and 3 will have operations at the plant improved to ensure the already compliant supply can continue to produce safe and secure water.

The EPA has advised all local authorities to install chlorine monitors and alarms at all treatment plants. As of August 2008, Carlow County Council had installed chlorine monitors and alarms on 11 of 14 supplies. The remaining monitors will be installed before the end of 2009.

Public Water Quality Results

This linked spreadsheet contains the results for Carlow Water Service Authority drinking water schemes across the county for samples taken up to end of 2009. The results provide detailed data on parametric values tested in accordance with check and audit type monitoring. This information is provided in accordance with the latest Drinking Water Regulations 2007

  1. Water quality results for public drinking water supplies 2010 [ excel 100kb ]
  2. The provision and quality of drinking water in Ireland. A report for the years 2007 - 2008 [ pdf 2mb ]
  3. EPA Parameters of water quality 2001 [ pdf 1mb ]
    The aim of the handbook is to distil the principal facts and figures on a total of some 100 individual or group pollutants - information which is otherwise available, but in a wide variety of sources - into a single volume, in which the parameters are treated individually, in a generally uniform format.
  4. Drinking Water testing is regulated by the European Communities Drinking Water No.2 Regulations 2007 [ pdf 200kb ]

Water Monitoring

Drinking water quality is monitored by the Eastern Area Health Board for Carlow County Council on an agency basis to ensure compliance with the current Drinking Water Regulations [ S.I. No. 81 of 1988 European Communities ( Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption ) Regulations, 1988 ]. The Environmental Protection Agency is tasked with protecting the environment through its licensing and enforcement activities.

Please review the following EPA documents.

  1. EPA quality of drinking water in Ireland report 2006 - 2007 [ pdf 2mb ]
  2. EPA water quality summary report for Carlow 2006 - 2007 [ word 224kb ]

  1. Council report on Cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Carlow town and environs 2005 [ word 1mb ]
  2. HSE report on Cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Carlow town and environs 2005 [ pdf 1mb ]
  3. EPA quality of drinking water in Ireland report 2005 [ pdf 1mb ]
  4. EPA quality of drinking water in Ireland report 2004 [ pdf 1mb ]
  5. EPA quality of drinking water in Ireland report 2003 with a review of 2001 - 2003 [ pdf 5mb ]
  6. EPA quality of drinking water in Ireland report 2002 with a review of 2000 - 2002 [ pdf 13mb ]
  7. EPA quality of drinking water in Ireland report 2001 [ pdf 3mb ]

Cryptosporidium

The Council continues to receive requests for further information on Cryptosporidium as a result of the outbreak in Carlow town and environs in 2005 and now most recently in Galway city.

Cryptosporidium is a microscopic protozoan parasite that can be present in faecal material that has pathogenic effects in both children and adults when it enters the gastrointestinal tract and causes an infection called cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis can cause fever, stomach upsets, weight loss and diarrhoea and can be fatal in the young and old and those with weak immune systems.

Please consult the EPA reports.