A dose of common sense is needed says MacManus
COUNCILLOR Chris MacManus says the announcement that drinking water from Lough Talt Regional Water Supply is contaminated with Cryptosporidium is a cause for “grave concern.”
“Nearly thirteen thousand users of the Lough Talt Regional Water Supply have been put on boil notice because of the risk of illness caused by the microscopic parasite. This again highlights the farcical contradiction in EU legislation – fined for not providing safe drinking water, yet unable to construct a treatment plant because of the area’s conservation status. What is needed is a large dose of common sense. Everyone’s primary concern should be the provision of safe drinking water to the 13,000 citizens reliant on the Lough Talt supply.
“The EPA’s ‘Drinking Water Report 2016’ showed that 87 public water supplies were on the Remedial Action List for work to be carried out to protect tap water standards. Eighty-five of these have a planned date for completion of their works. Only two, including Lough Talt, has no timescale. This is not good enough and the people of Tubbercurry and southwest Sligo need to see action. Irish Water need to immediately provide a temporary solution to ensure a safe and clean drinking water supply while a viable long-term resolution is examined.”