Ireland 'pushes for water-regulating authority'

A recent incident in which residents of Galway were found to be exposed to high levels of lead through their tap water has strengthened calls for a national water regulating body, it has been claimed.

Sbpost.ie related that head of the department of microbiology at the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) Dr Vincent O'Flaherty said several authorities being in control of water makes supplies difficult to monitor.

"I think there is a really strong case for a national water authority. There are about 300,000 water sources in the country and a lot of these need a service upgrade," Mr O'Flaherty explained.

Figures from The Environmental Protection Agency state that high amounts of lead have been discovered in the drinking water supplies of 23 of 944 areas examined since March last year.

Meanwhile, Kerry County Council has announced that a programme implemented to improve water treatment will mean that the area's residents will be assured of completely safe drinking water supplies by the end of the year, Environmental Data Interactive reported.