Almost one third of private wells in Ireland are contam inated by E.coli from human and animal waste, making the water unsafe to drink.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expressed concern about the quality of water supplies at private wells, following the doubling in detection rates of a particularly dangerous form of E.coli.

New utility company Irish Water has been warned it has a lot of work to do to guarantee safe drinking supplies when it takes up its role in January.

A Co Cork crèche forced to close after a baby tested positive for E.coli infection re-opened yesterday.

Public health experts investigating an E.coli outbreak in East Cork are awaiting the results of tests conducted on a private water well.

A Co Cork crèche has been temporarily closed because of a likely case of E.coli infection in a toddler.

The number of private wells contaminated with a harmful strain of E.coli which can lead to kidney failure have doubled in the last year.

Homeowners with private wells are being urged to monitor them amid fears they could be a source of a dangerous E.coli infection.

Further to Dónal Hickey’s article re threats to drinking water (Nov 12), I wish to point out that the National Federation of Group Water Schemes met the HSE and the EPA in October to discuss growing concerns about the dangerous VTEC strain of E.coli in water supplies.

The number of people infected by a bug that causes anything from mild tummy upset to kidney failure has jumped dramatically this year, according to the latest disease surveillance report.

A taskforce has been set up after a 200% increase in the number of a potentially lethal VTEC E-coli infections in Ireland this year.

A CRECHE in Limerick has been closed following an outbreak of diarrhoea among children attending the facility.