Some 9,410 residents of Donegal were served by “at risk” drinking water supplies in 2024, a new report has revealed.
The EPA’s Remedial Action List for 2024 lists Milford, Lettermacaward and Glenties-Ardara supplies among the 19 supplies nationwide which are non-compliant with standards.
For Glenties-Ardara, serving a population of 3,459, the remedial action involves the installation of a membrane filtration system. This system is designed to address issues with raw water colour and organic content, and to minimise the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs). The target completion date for this project is September 2025. This supply has been on the EPA’s list since 2008.
In Lettermacaward, which has a population of 2,237, the planned work is an upgrade of the water treatment plant. This project was targeted for completion in December 2024. No further updates have been provided on the project.
For Milford, with a population of 3,714, the remedial action entails an upgrade of the filtration system, including Granular Activated Carbon (GAC). The anticipated completion date for this upgrade is June 2026.
Uisce Éireann has welcomed the latest Drinking Water Report published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which confirms over 99.8 per cent of samples from public water supplies comply with bacterial and chemical limits, which means our public water is safe to drink.
The EPA’s Remedial Action List identifies ‘at-risk’ supplies that require improvements to safeguard public health.
In 2024 there has been a reduction in the number of people served by supplies on the Remedial Action List – down to almost 497,000 (from 561,000 in 2023).
The EPA has taken enforcement action in 2024 against Uisce Éireann by issuing 20 legally binding directions for supplies on the Remedial Action List, one of which is the Glenties-Ardara supply.
The number of Boil Water Notices issued in 2024 was approximately half that of 2023. There is currently a Boil Water Notice in place for nine properties in Gortahork-Falcarragh.
