Water quality

boa-constrictor · 23-08-2008 12:26am #1

Our baby is vomiting up his food this week. GP says he is inundated with people bringing in their young kids and babies with the same complaint and that it is as a result of bad drinking water.

Its amazing we have just come out of one of the biggest booms ever experienced by a country in modern times and our sh1te of a government can't even provide us with clean water. What the fxck do we pay taxes for, you have to pay for everything as you use it anyway (refuse, water etc) and when its not fit for its purpose its basically tough sh1t. If a private company fed you this sh1t you could sue them.

There's a repeat of the Olympic opening ceremony on the TV tonight. Some sections of the media have reported that it cost $100 mln to stage and we can't afford clean drinking water here in this hole of a country. I know that nowhere is perfect but are we good at anything - farming is in sh1t, industry ditto, property development, banking, the licenced trade, education, health, infrastructure. Why don't we try communism for a while or put Sinn Fein in or the Church of Scientology or even Enda Kenny's shower - could they do any worse than FF?

Musha · 25-08-2008 12:10pm

I work in the water treatment industry and I can tell by exerience that the quality of water is decreasing rapidly, Reading test reports on a daily basis for clients on Well water and "town" water we are getting increasing worst and the EU standard levels are being reduced which means that come next year 2 million people will be drinking water that does not meet the min EU standards. Half the countries population. The only sure way to meet the standards are major changes to the way we treat and move water around new piping etc or by ensuring that the water entering your house is of a better quality by treating/filtering/softening it yourself.

Deadeyes · 25-08-2008 12:22pm

Where I live we had a boil notice for about three weeks. The most annoying thing is I only found out about it by accident a four or five days after they knew the water was contaminated. I guess we'll just have to boil our water whenever it rains from now on.

ejmaztec · 25-08-2008 12:58pm

Having blown all of the funds from the boom-years, there's only one way to go now, with regard to basic facilities - backwards.

Local authorities don't seem to be able to handle notification of water problems to their "subjects". Perhaps if they get sued by a few people, they might get their act together.

After a landslide in these parts a couple of days ago, nobody seemed to know whether or not the water supply in a particular townland was drinkable or not. Needless to say, the bottled water industry is booming.

Do the local authorities think that, as we don't pay water charges, they needn't bother too much with the quality?

craichoe · 25-08-2008 1:34pm

ejmaztec wrote: »

Having blown all of the funds from the boom-years, there's only one way to go now, with regard to basic facilities - backwards.

Local authorities don't seem to be able to handle notification of water problems to their "subjects". Perhaps if they get sued by a few people, they might get their act together.

After a landslide in these parts a couple of days ago, nobody seemed to know whether or not the water supply in a particular townland was drinkable or not. Needless to say, the bottled water industry is booming.

Do the local authorities think that, as we don't pay water charges, they needn't bother too much with the quality?

Suing a Government body solves nothing, its essentially passing on the charge to the general populace. They need to have accountability and transparency in the Government organisations. Sure who going to give a crap when they can't really get fired anyway.

ejmaztec · 25-08-2008 2:00pm

craichoe wrote: »

Suing a Government body solves nothing, its essentially passing on the charge to the general populace. They need to have accountability and transparency in the Government organisations. Sure who going to give a crap when they can't really get fired anyway.

I think that some individuals driven to litigation would regard the public charge-back of legal fees/compensation as a reasonable contribution towards getting a few heads rolling, even if it's only a councillor or two.

I agree with you that, despite being involved in dirty deeds, executives never seem to get fired and pretty much have lifetime jobs. Even in serious cases, they only get transferred sideways, when they should have been locked up.

The only answer, I suppose, is a complete re-vamping of local-government legislation.

Guy:Incognito · 25-08-2008 4:20pm

OP do you not boil the water before you use it to make the baby bottles? Or am I missing somthing?

I dont see the relelvance of China spending 100 million on a ceremony either. They have millions of people living in poverty.

boa-constrictor · 26-08-2008 10:32pm

Stekelly wrote: »

OP do you not boil the water before you use it to make the baby bottles? Or am I missing somthing?

I dont see the relelvance of China spending 100 million on a ceremony either. They have millions of people living in poverty.

Yes of course we boil it but the doctor says he is inundated with visits and he blamed it on water quality. I suppose if boiling water was all it took, it wouldn't be a huge problem. I'm sure it reduces the risk of infection but it must not eliminate it.

I won't waste my time arguing the China thing with you as it is, to say the least, peripheral to the point I'm making. If you want me to find an analogy that fits clinically with my story, I'm afraid I probably won't be able to do that but I think that if the posters got the point you probably did too.

Guy:Incognito · 26-08-2008 11:41pm

boa-constrictor wrote: »

I won't waste my time arguing the China thing with you as it is, to say the least, peripheral to the point I'm making. If you want me to find an analogy that fits clinically with my story, I'm afraid I probably won't be able to do that but I think that if the posters got the point you probably did too.

So in the absence of somethign relevant you just chuck in any old rubbish ? I could list plenty of things that every country wastes millions on while there is still a completely unrelated problem going on somewhere in their countries.

If boiling didnt make water safe then the people of Galway would be told not to drink water under any circumstances instead of being told to boil it first.

Musha · 28-08-2008 4:54pm

It depends on the impurity that is contaminating the water, Some instances boiling is not the answer as it will concentrate the impurity i.e Lead, Nitrates etc, Bacteria will be killed off if it is boiled for long enough in a saucepan not just in the kettle as it does not keep it boiling long enough to kill anything.

Otherwise install a Filter

Clytus · 28-08-2008 8:37pm

Its funny i came across this thread. Iv been reviewing some results of water samples and have been "surprised" by the TVC.

Makes sense to me now.

ejmaztec · 28-08-2008 8:59pm

Clytus wrote: »

Its funny i came across this thread. Iv been reviewing some results of water samples and have been "surprised" by the TVC.

Makes sense to me now.

Excuse my ignorance, but what's TVC?

I'm assuming that you mean Total Viable Count (after a quick google).

My wife likes blinding me with obscure abbreviations - drives me mad.

joseph brand · 09-09-2008 10:27pm

Just had my tap water and filtered jug water tested by Water Pure, here in Navan tonight.

I am attaching a photo (apologies only phone camera available), of the water after current passed thru' water to highlight impurities/ dissolved solids.

My water has 200 ppm TDS (total dissolved solids). Which explains the scum on my tea and probably why my digestive sytem doesn't feel the mae west these days?? Bad weather plays factor I think?

The filtration system costs a bit, but I will consider it.

Kev.

Musha · 09-09-2008 10:36pm

Hi Kev,

Don't buy it :eek: that is not a viable test as it only burns of the minerials in the water.

200 ppm is not a bad reading could mean the water is a bit hard/ Lime

What price where you quoted for the filter?
There are much better and cheaper filters that will clean up the water

joseph brand · 09-09-2008 11:35pm

Quoted 1890 euros. Seems bit steep. Not to mention, I should not have to clean the tap water. Typical Ireland.

Maybe the government should apply water charges, and cleaning charges, AND road digging/maintenance charges. :eek:

Any ideas for good water filters/purifiers?

Thanks for reply Musha.

Musha · 10-09-2008 9:42am

Joseph, Sent PM

boa-constrictor · 11-09-2008 12:05am

joseph brand wrote: »

Just had my tap water and filtered jug water tested by Water Pure, here in Navan tonight.

I am attaching a photo (apologies only phone camera available), of the water after current passed thru' water to highlight impurities/ dissolved solids.

My water has 200 ppm TDS (total dissolved solids). Which explains the scum on my tea and probably why my digestive sytem doesn't feel the mae west these days?? Bad weather plays factor I think?

The filtration system costs a bit, but I will consider it.

Kev.

Not saying anything about the good people in Water Pure but there were tonnes of people on the radio the other day talking about being scammed by water co's testing their water and convincing them they would die if they didn't purchase....

Do you not think it sounds about as credible as the guys who turn offering to tar your drive?

babaloushka · 11-09-2008 9:28pm

I had a Reverse Osmosis water filter fitted under my kitchen sink a month ago and I'm very happy with it. I was more concerned about the fluoride in the water than any other contaminants, but being sure that they're not included in my drinks also is a welcome bonus

I shopped around online and paid about €300 all in - got the plumber locally to do the fitting, though the instructions were very clear and any good DIY person could probably manage it themselves.
Up to that, I'd been buying a fortune's worth of bottled water and it was a total nuisance lugging it home. I know I will have to replace the filters every 6 months, but what price peace of mind?

Steven_in_Cork · 07-11-2008 12:02am

Dear Boa,

i highly recommend to follow babaloushka's advise.
Fluoride is what i am worried about too, as we have a baby now .

"The Irish Examiner - 22 September 2008"
Irish tap water contains 0.7mg of fluoride per litre, while the ADA and BFS say only less than 0.3mg is safe.

Water quality

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