Environmental group slams Irish approach to water safety

The Friends of the Irish Environment group has described Ireland's approach to water safety as "fundamentally misguided".

The Environmental Protection Agency's latest annual report said many public water supplies in Ireland are in breach of safety guidelines and that 25% of group water schemes are contaminated by human or animal waste.

Despite this, the EPA insisted that water quality is generally satisfactory. Friends of the Irish Environment, however, said urgent action is necessary.

It called for areas around all sources of drinking water to be cleared of livestock and the implementation of EU directives on the use of chemicals in agriculture.