Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 May 1995

Vol. 453 No. 5

Written Answers. - Ballycroy (Mayo) Water Quality.

Eoin Ryan

Ceist:

47 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Health if, further to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 108 of 16 May 1995 he will state when the Western Health Board was first alerted to concerns about the quality of water at Ballycroy, County Mayo; if he will quantify the meaning of the term unsatisfactory in relation to test results carried out; and when the Western Health Board contacted Mayo County Council. [9325/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The water supply in the Ballycroy area is a private group scheme. Environmental health officers from the Western Health Board monitor the quality of water in the scheme on behalf of Mayo County Council.

I am advised by the Western Health Board that in both 1976 and 1982 tests indicated contamination of the supply and appropriate recommendations were made to the trustees of the scheme to rectify the problem. Subsequent tests between 1985 and 1989 showed the water quality to be satisfactory. Tests in 1991 and 1992 again indicated the need for remedial action, appropriate recommendations were made and samples taken during 1993 indicated an improvement.

A series of samples taken by the health board on 13 and 26 October 1994 indicated serious contamination in terms of the levels of micro-organisms in the supply. A notice to boil all water before use was then issued by the health board in consultation with Mayo County Council immediately following receipt of the test results on 4 November. To date that notice has not been withdrawn as samples taken on 2 May 1995 indicate that the supply has not improved sufficiently to withdraw the notice.

I understand that the Department of the Environment invited the group to submit proposals for grant aid towards the necessary improvements to the scheme and that these proposals are now being considered.