The Drinking Water Regulations, 1988, established a standard drinking water monitoring regime which is adhered to by all sanitary authorities, and set out the action to be taken where the quality of water does not meet the prescribed standards. Comprehensive guidance on implementation of the Regulations is available to sanitary authorities in a Handbook published by the Environmental Research unit. This provides advice on a range of relevant issues, including design of sampling programmes, selection of parameters for monitoring, frequency of analysis, reporting arrangements and action programmes.
My Department issued a major circular to local authorities in 1986 to provide a framework and a model for the development of action plans in response to instances of drinking water pollution. The guidelines for emergency planning in the case of water supply contamination are now being revised and updated and will be circulated to sanitary authorities very shortly.