Audit of treatment plants to take place after 52 people fall ill from unsafe water

The serious incidents occurred at drinking water plants in Dublin and Gorey, Co Wexford.

An audit of water treatment plants across the country is to take place after more than 50 people fell ill following two “serious incidents”.

The Minister for Housing and Local Government, Darragh O’Brien, said that Irish Water will prioritise the largest 20 treatment plants.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified “abject failures” in management oversight, operational control, and responsiveness at two public drinking water treatment plants in recent weeks.

The serious incidents occurred at drinking water plants in Dublin and Gorey, Co Wexford.

Around 52 cases of illnesses were detected by the HSE in the Gorey community served by that water supply, with a number resulting in hospitalisations.

At Dublin's Ballymore Eustace plant, which serves approximately 877,000 consumers in the greater Dublin area, the EPA found unsafe drinking water was produced for a period of up to 10 hours between August 20 and 21 due to the loss of the Cryptosporidium treatment barrier compounded by inadequate disinfection.

The incident was not notified by Irish Water to the EPA or to the HSE until September 1, "preventing a timely risk assessment of the impact on drinking water quality and to allow interventions to be taken that could have protected public health."

Darragh O'Brien, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, said the incidents were unacceptable. File picture: Getty Images

At the Gorey water treatment plant, an incident which arose from a power failure and a chlorine pump failure resulted in water leaving the plant and entering the public supply without the appropriate level of disinfection between August 19 to August 24.

This incident was not notified to the EPA and the HSE until August 26. The HSE is now investigating a public health outbreak in the Gorey area.

Both Mr O’Brien and Irish Water today reiterated that the “incidents have been rectified” and that the water supply from both plants is safe to drink.

Irish Water’s Managing Director Niall Gleeson today said the utility “agrees with the Minister and the EPA that both incidents are unacceptable”.

He added: “In both instances, late notification of issues relating to the disinfection process at the plants potentially put public health at risk.” 

The minister met with Mr Gleeson and Irish Water officials as well as both the Chief Executives of Dublin City Council and Wexford County Council.

Mr O’Brien said that in the “immediate term”, an audit of the country’s water treatment plants will be undertaken by Irish Water.

“They will prioritise the largest 20 treatment plants, visiting each of them, meeting with the caretakers of each plant to ensure that proper processes are in place in terms of dealing with and escalating any incidents which may arise,” he said.

Mr O’Brien has been assured by Irish Water’s Managing Director and the local authority Chief Executives of their full cooperation and that their organisations “are working together in full cooperation to put in place the urgent and necessary corrective measures.” 

He added that Irish Water will work with each local authority over the coming two weeks, “conducting refresher training on incident reporting for all plants”.

“Where appropriate, Irish Water will now put in place a technician on site, to ensure the continued safety of water treatment plants.” 

Mr Gleeson said that Irish Water is continuing to consult with HSE on the outbreak of illnesses in Gorey and with Wexford County Council on a programme of works at the water treatment plant.

He also apologised to customers "for the delay in communicating the incident and the water treatment plant failing to meet the appropriate level of disinfection.” 

He added that the incident "underlines the importance of creating a Single Public Utility where service delivery is controlled and managed by one organisation". 

"Irish Water is engaging via the Workplace Relations Commission with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Local Authorities and Trade Unions as part of talks to create a Single Public Utility (SPU).”