30% of private wells in Ireland are infected by E.coli

THERE was a time in Ireland when country people felt their drinking water was safe when it came from spring wells. But that was long ago.

It was an era when every house did not have a septic tank and when farming was far less intensive, with no slurry to spread on fields or to escape from pits.

It was also a time when rivers were clean and full of trout, as we remember from days of youth.

There was nothing quite like slaking your thirst on warm summer days from those wells all around the countryside, some with stone walls and steps leading down to them.

We certainly never heard of anyone getting sick after drinking the water.

Most of these wells were later supplanted by much deeper bored wells.

With all the controversy about Irish Water and refusals to pay charges, some important issues relating to water quality in Ireland are being overlooked at present.

And, with the row likely to continue in 2015, we’re unlikely to hear much about dangerous water.

People using private wells have no issues with Irish Water and will not be liable for charges.

A total of more than 720,000 people get their supplies from private wells and are the kind of folk you don’t hear from that much.

Unknown to themselves, however, they may be drinking contaminated water as it is estimated that 30% of private wells in Ireland are infected by E.coli, coming from animal or human waste.

The pollution can come from septic tanks, slurry spreading on land and even fuel storage tanks.

Indeed, a reason often cited by planners for refusing permission for one-off houses is the proliferation of septic tanks and consequent pollution risks.

Disinfection kills all E.coli, and, while public water supplies are disinfected, not all private wells are.

Lots of people assume that because their water comes from a well or a spring that it’s completely pure and safe to drink, but that is not necessarily the case, says David Flynn, programme manager with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which estimates that up to 50,000 private wells in Ireland are contaminated.

"Sometimes, we find that people can develop immunity themselves, but visitors to the house, particularly children and the elderly, are at risk of getting very sick," Mr Flynn warns.

Some wellheads and boreholes are very poorly sealed, allowing surface water to enter the well and the EPA is advising people to take a few simple steps to assess their wells and take action to prevent a threat to their health.

The EPA website explains the risks to well water quality and the simple things that can be done to reduce the risks.

A ‘Protect your Well’ assessment app is also available from the EPA website.