Householders living around Cork Harbour — the country’s pharmaceutical heartland — have been waiting 12 years for water treatment facilities to bring their drinking water up to EU and national standards.

Three major treatment plants which provide water to more than half a million people need to be modernised to secure supplies, environmental experts have warned.

THREE major treatment plants which provide water to more than 500,000 people need to be modernised to secure supplies, environmental experts warn.

THERE has been a dramatic decline in Ireland’s high quality river water over the last 21 years, from 600 clean rivers to less than 60, a new report by the Environmental Protection Agency reveals.

Harmful emissions from chemical plants plummeted almost two-thirds over the last 12 years even though production soared, it emerged today.

THE number of prosecutions for breaches of environmental legislation increased dramatically last year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

ONE of the major challenges in the years ahead will be to ensure the water we drink is safe.

WATER supplies to almost 120,000 people throughout the country were so bad last year that they had a boil water notice or restriction of use placed on them, it has emerged.

AT least 100 old mines have been identified with varying levels of contamination and in need of remediation similar to the Haulbowline toxic site in Cork harbour.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘Dump the Dumpers’ phoneline had 2,184 calls in its first year of operation, the agency said yesterday.

Significant environmental problems are being caused by people burning waste and using organised fly-tipping to illegally remove their rubbish, it emerged today.

BAD smells from factories and dumps are the primary cause of complaints made by members of the public to the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement office (OEE).

A multinational pharmaceutical company was today fined over €100,000 on pollution charges.

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promised last night to improve the lines of communication with residents in Cork harbour.

THE State risks being fined millions of euro and another appearance before the European Court of Justice for environmental breaches if it fails to reduce the levels of phosphorous polluting Irish rivers.

THE Environmental Protection Agency has promised it is moving towards a zero tolerance of illegal waste activity after improving enforcement of regulations and licences during the past year.

Members of a Cork-based environmental group are questioning the appointment of one of the new directors on the board of the Environmental Protection Agency.