Irish water sources still badly polluted - EPA

Nearly one-third of Ireland's rivers and groundwater sources are still polluted with human, animal, farming and industrial waste, according to the latest assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency.

In its Water Indicator Report, the agency says the pollution of groundwater supplies has worsened in many areas over the past 12 months, reversing the trends reported in recent years.

However, there has been a slight improvement in the pollution levels in some rivers.

The worst area of groundwater contamination is around Galway, where much of the water drains into Lough Corrib, the source of the city's ongoing water crisis.

The EPA also says the quality of coastal and estuary water has significantly deteriorated, despite the money being invested in water treatment plants across the country.