Water ‘not contaminated by fertiliser’

FEARS over the safety of drinking water in areas where fertiliser was used to de-ice roads have been allayed after initial tests showed the urea did not contaminate supplies.

Five local authorities including Tipperary north and south, Carlow, Kildare and south Dublin received results of initial tests showing there was no dangerous effect to drinking water from using fertiliser on the roads during the big freeze.

Samples in Meath are still being tested for nitrates and ammonia which could have run into water sources as ice melted, affecting drinking water to households and businesses.