Pesticides were discovered in the water supply twice in Co. Cavan last year.
The public water supply in Belturbet contained levels of the substance MCPA that were over the limits for drinking water.
The pesticide that is most frequently found in drinking water is MCPA, which is found in various herbicide products.
Uisce Éireann says the Belturbet public water supply is vulnerable to run-off from land because it uses raw water from the River Erne.
However, it said that the amounts found posed no risk to the general public’s health.
The pesticides were discovered in the Belturbet supply after normal screening, according to Thomas Gibbons, Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist.
“While our consultation with the HSE has concluded that the levels we are detecting do not represent a threat to public health, they are still however undesirable in drinking water and it is therefore imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when using herbicides or pesticides and seek out alternatives,” he said.
Pesticide exceedances in Cavan doubled from one in 2021 to two last year.
The presence of pesticide levels above the allowed value indicate there may have been careless or excessive use of a product in the drinking water catchment area.
Uisce Éireann is appealing to the public to consider the vulnerability of their local drinking water supply to pesticide contamination and think about using alternatives to pesticides when gardening, farming and maintaining sports grounds.
“Uisce Éireann and the NPDWAG (the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group ) are asking the farming community, greenkeepers, grounds keepers, and also domestic users of pesticides, to consider in each case whether they need to use pesticides at all.
Only use pesticides when absolutely required and only after carefully exploring all other possible control measures.
Using less pesticides provides several wider environmental advantages in addition to protecting water quality.
In the first instance, users of pesticides should always consider alternative control methods. If the application of pesticides is deemed necessary, users should make sure to follow best practise guidelines to protect water quality. This was stated by Dr Aidan Moody, DAFM and Chair of NPDWAG.
Source : RTE