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.

The plant delivers clean drinking water to thousands of homes in the Glanmire area.

The river runs past a field, near the Hazelwood Shopping Centre, in which a circus had been based for the last week. The circus left town late on Tuesday night.

Local Cllr Gerry Kelly (FG) said the contaminated water scare in Galway showed just how dangerous animal faeces in the public water supply can be.

“We can’t be slipshod about this. We have enough evidence and we should come down hard on those responsible,” he said.

Council officials moved last night to reassure residents that the water supply is still safe.

A spokesman said the treatment plant has three phases of hi-tech cleansing, and the water supply, both in and out of the plant, is closely monitored several times a day.

Monitoring will be stepped up following this incident, he said.

He said officials in the council’s enforcement section would pursue those responsible for dumping the animal waste.