Caution urged in use of pesticides
FARMERS have been reminded to follow best practices when using pesticides.
All users of pesticides, including greenkeepers, ground keepers and domestic users have been urged to take great care to protect drinking water supply.
Irish Water, in partnership with a range of organisations involved in the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG), has issued advice and guidance to all users of pesticides to ensure that best practice measures to protect drinking waters are always followed.
Andrew Boylan, Irish Water’s Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist, said: ‘At a time of significant challenges for farmers and other essential workers managing land, we are asking everyone to continue to be mindful to protect the water bodies.
‘While MCPA accounted for the majority (63 per cent) of pesticide exceedances detected nationally in public water supplies during 2019, Irish Water routinely tests for a wide range of pesticides and is closely monitoring the situation for pesticides other than MCPA. Irish Water is continuing its extensive investment programme to safeguard the water supply for homes, farms and businesses in Ireland.
‘Providing safe, clean drinking water for all is our first priority. In Ireland, the majority (82 per cent) of drinking water supplies come from surface water sources such as rivers, lakes and streams. Supplies such as these are vulnerable to contamination from land and animal run-off. Irish Water asks users of pesticide products in Wicklow catchments to consider the vulnerability of the drinking water supply to pesticide contamination and the importance of this supply to the local community,’ he added.
Farmers and other landholders dealing with the challenge of tackling rushes should note that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has developed new guidance on the sustainable management of rushes and aims to minimise the use of pesticides.
Great care must always be taken to protect drinking water supplies wherever pesticide use is considered necessary, particularly if using products for grassland weed control containing substances such as MCPA, fluroxypyr and 2,4-D. These substances and others have been detected in drinking water supplies across Ireland. The detected levels sometimes exceed the legally permitted limit for pesticides in drinking water, which is set at an extremely low value, equivalent to one drop in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
There are currently six priority catchment areas of particular concern where exceedances of pesticides are persistent and a separate watch list which is a focus of targeted actions. Irish Water said no exceedances for pesticides had been detected in Wicklow in 2019.
If pesticides have to be used, they advise taking steps to reduce risks, including: choosing the right pesticide product, determining the right amount to purchase and use; being aware of the location of all nearby water courses, complying with product buffer zones to protect the aquatic environment and storing and disposing of pesticides and their containers properly.