The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified 45 public water supplies across Ireland that are “at risk”, affecting nearly half a million people.
While the vast majority of public water systems remain safe, the EPA says these specific supplies require urgent improvements to protect public health.
According to the EPA’s latest report, 99.8% of drinking water samples complied with national standards for bacterial and chemical safety. However, the agency stressed that compliance alone is not enough if the infrastructure behind the water treatment systems is weak or vulnerable to failure.
The 45 water supplies flagged by the EPA are considered neither robust nor resilient, putting them at higher risk of disruption. The agency emphasised that the current treatment processes at these locations are inadequate and in need of significant remedial action, including modernisation and increased investment.
Among the communities affected are 115,000 people in Limerick city, 81,000 in County Kildare, 46,000 relying on a single supply in County Louth, 23,000 in Glashaboy, County Cork, and almost 21,000 in Wexford town. These areas could face water quality issues if improvements are not made promptly.