Bacteria which causes kidney failure found in 62 private water supplies

A dangerous bacteria which can cause kidney failure was found in 62 private water supplies last year.

A new report found more than 1,000 people got a serious infection in 2018 as a result.

The Environmental Protection Agency has analysed private water supplies in Ireland last year, which serve more than a 1m people every day.

They found the quality of water in these sources - mostly sourced from wells - is poorer than in public supplies.

More than 60 private supplies were found to be contaminated with human or animal waste last year.

The dangerous bacteria E coli was found in 62 supplies.

This can cause illness and, in some cases, can result in severe or long-term kidney failure.

There were more than 1,000 cases of the VTEC infection - a dangerous form of E coli, which you get from drinking water contaminated with animal waste.

The EPA says Ireland has the highest incidence of this illness in Europe.