Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 October 2014
147. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Health if he will ascertain from the Health Service Executive the public health notice protocol for dealing with housing estates where lead contamination is identified in all individual samples taken by Irish Water or local authorities acting as agencies of same [40645/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is responsible for policy and legislation in relation to drinking water quality. Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water has statutory responsibility for the provision of public water services.
The EU (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014 require that where Irish Water or a local authority, having consulted with and subject to the agreement of the Health Service Executive, consider a supply of water intended for human consumption constitutes a potential danger to human health they must ensure that appropriate restrictions are put in place, that consumers are given necessary advice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is informed.
In practice the local authority engineer, acting on behalf of Irish Water contacts the Principal Environmental Health Officer (PEHO) of the HSE to consider whether an exceedance of a parametric value and the initial investigation into the exceedance warrant restrictions and/or notification of consumers. Where a potential danger to human health exists the PEHO liaises with the Specialist in Public Health Medicine (SPHM) before agreeing appropriate actions with Irish Water and/or the local authority as appropriate. Irish Water and the local authority are responsible for taking the necessary steps to bring the public water supply back into compliance and for issuing information and advice to consumers.
The Regulations also provide the EPA with supervisory powers for public water supplies. The EPA can direct Irish Water to improve the management or quality of a public water supply. The local authorities have a similar supervisory role in relation to group water schemes and private supplies. Under the regulations Irish Water must notify the EPA of drinking water non-compliances or risks to public health from a public water supply.
