Ireland to face heavy fines over poor water quality

IRELAND is facing massive daily fines for allowing drinking water to be contaminated with human and animal waste, more than four years after being found guilty of breaching EC directives by the European Court of Justice.

The final warning from the European Commission came as up to 60 people in Galway were infected by a bug found in water in Galway.

In November 2002 the court ruled that Ireland must keep its drinking water supplies free of E.coli bacteria while in 2005 the court ruled that local authorities must keep greater controls on polluting discharges to surface water.