Vol. 571 No. 1
1244 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the level of hormones present in drinking water here; the studies to date that have been carried out in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19658/03]
Current EU legislation on drinking water, and the related national regulations, do not prescribe standards, or require monitoring, regarding endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as hormones. Accordingly, information as requested in the question is not available.
The EPA has commissioned a research project to assess the potential risk from EDCs to Irish freshwaters, their ecosystems and associated drinking water sources. The final report of the project is not yet available but early results do not indicate any signs of endocrine disruption in fish. In the context of a regular five year review of the quality standards for drinking water, in the light of scientific and technical progress generally, the European Commission has commissioned a report on EDCs in drinking water and in surface and groundwater sources. This report is expected shortly.
