50% drop in E coli detection in public drinking water

THERE has been a 50% reduction in the detection of E coli in public drinking water in the last two years.

The latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on drinking water quality shows that E coli was detected at least once in 27 out of 944 public water supplies in 2009. This figure is down from 39 in the previous year.

The number of private group water schemes where E coli was detected dropped from 134 in 2008 to 87 in 2009. However, despite this improvement, 17% of private group water schemes were contaminated at least once during 2009.