Fears for water safety after tonnes of animal faeces found dumped near river bank

TONNES of animal dung were found dumped on a river bank yesterday raising fears about the safety of the water supply to thousands of households in Cork.

The county council launched an investigation after the huge mound of faeces, believed to be from circus elephants, camels and horses, was found pushed close to the bank of the river Glashaboy in Glanmire.

Some of the material, which was mixed with straw, fell into the river, less than 200 metres from where the council’s Glashaboy water treatment plant draws water for public consumption.