Water Quality: Are the problems exaggerated?

Richard Hillman

I was on the LUAS yesterday evening and a man got on with a load of shopping bags. He sat beside me and was struggling with keeping his bags together. I told him he can put a couple in behind the seat, he did so and gave me a thumbs up to say thanks.

A few minutes later he tapped me on the shoulder and asked me a question in a foreign accent (he was from Egypt). He asked me "Can you drink the water from the tap in Ireland?". I was a bit taken aback from the question but told him it's perfectly ok in Dublin. Some places in Western Ireland are not but only small pockets. We started to have a conversation and he had only arrived a few weeks ago and was reading online about Ireland's poor water quality. He was buying bottled water and boiling tap water etc.

He got off and we said farewell and goodluck, and then I searched online to find this


https://www.google.ie/search?q=drinking+water+in+ireland&oq=drinking+wata&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0l3.6521j0j4&client=ms-android-huawei&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

With Headlines such as:

Drinking water for 400,000 people is contaminated | Irish Examiner
www.irishexaminer.com › ireland

Our drinking water is widely contaminated with tiny bits of plastic - Independent.ie
https://www.independent.ie › ou...

EU to take action over State's 'dangerous' drinking water
https://www.irishtimes.com › news

Now I am not so surprised that he didnt know whether it was safe or not and wonder if people also come to ireland and think the same.

The headlines are pure shock value. Ireland's drinking water is perfectly fine apart from few rural pockets. When you have a guy from Egypt and he hears "contaminated drinking water", that means actual contaminated drinking, do not drink. Our expression of contaminated drinking water is at a completely lesser scale to countries elsewhere. Not that we shouldn't have high standards but let's relax on the "contaminated" expression, unless it's actually unsafe to drink.

suicide_circus

A lot of countries have no culture of drinking tap water even if it's safe and are into the "health benefits" of drinking mineral water.

EPAndlee

I'd only consume tap water if it's boiled and buy bottled water for drinking

Shenshen

I'm not sure the articles are actually that over the top. There are still plenty of lead pipes bringing water into homes right across the country, though boiling the water won't help you with that. And we still have pretty regular incidents of raw sewage and animal waste ending up in our water supply whenever it rains a bit too much.

To put it in perspective, I came to Ireland in my early 30s, and had never heard of the concept of a boil notice ever before. And yes, I was absolutely shocked when I found out what that was about.

suicide_circus

Sure we're not prepared to by usage to invest in water infrastructure so don't expect it to improve any time soon.

Rumpy Pumpy

NO WAY, WE WON’T PAY!

The catchphrase or one of the most ill advised, short sighted, and cynical protest movements this country has ever seen.

suicide_circus

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

NO WAY, WE WON’T PAY!

The catchphrase or one of the most ill advised, short sighted, and cynical protest movements this country has ever seen.

So utterly self defeating and futile. It beggars belief.

McMurphy

EPAndlee wrote: »

I'd only consume tap water if it's boiled and buy bottled water for drinking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4RwiPGGrqQ

Id say those boil notices might affect people in different ways too OP.

Id say its perfectly fine for me a strong health 30 something male to drink the water anywhere in the country. No problem.

It may be quite different if I was a young baby, sick, pregnant or an old pensioner who isnt as strong or healthy or maybe already sick.
Water borne disease and contamination that wont affect most of us at all may weaken or kill them.


Most piping is out of sight, out of mind for most people too until that water is cut off to their house.


Anyways, lets not go here again, its been done to death :pac:

Nobody cares.

McMurphy

suicide_circus wrote: »

So utterly self defeating and futile. It beggars belief.

Yeah that protest never stood a chance.


Water charges still full steam ahead, and FG still railroading whatever legislation they want through the Dail with little to zero debate.

Rick Shaw

Rick Shaw wrote: »

Yeah that protest never stood a chance.


Water charges still full steam ahead, and FG still railroading whatever legislation they want through the Dail with little to zero debate.

Its amazing FG get away with it. Big bad FG


FG have 50 TDs, perhaps the other 108 should do something about it.

suicide_circus

Rick Shaw wrote: »

Yeah that protest never stood a chance.


Water charges still full steam ahead, and FG still railroading whatever legislation they want through the Dail with little to zero debate.

*sigh* future generations will be forever in you debt.

BillyBobBS

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

NO WAY, WE WON’T PAY!

The catchphrase or one of the most ill advised, short sighted, and cynical protest movements this country has ever seen.

Myself and hundreds of thousands who matched disagree.

Shenshen

BillyBobBS wrote: »

Myself and hundreds of thousands who matched disagree.

And the hundreds and thousands who still get regular boil notices or get their water through lead pipes are eternally grateful to you for your efforts, I'm sure.

McMurphy

suicide_circus wrote: »

*sigh* future generations will be forever in you debt.

I wasn't the protest, apart from not engaging with Irish water (which would put me firmly in the majority of our citizens) and being at a march or two with pals that is.

But future generations may well be thankful that our water service's were prevented from being privatised, which was the end goal.

So in that respect. Job well done Ogle, Murphy and co.

Shenshen

Shenshen wrote: »

And the hundreds and thousands who still get regular boil notices or get their water through lead pipes are eternally grateful to you for your efforts, I'm sure.

I think they will not be a problem if the irish water engineering departments are set up and a national network is correctly established.

The politicians will find the money to fund this if the political will is there.

They will just have to go after softer political targets than the average joe who is able to stand up for themselves.

(Think funding for home helps, disabled, community groups that sort of thing)

suicide_circus

Rick Shaw wrote: »

I wasn't the protest, apart from not engaging with Irish water (which would put me firmly in the majority of our citizens) and being at a march or two with pals that is.

But future generations may well be thankful that our water service's were prevented from being privatised, which was the end goal.

So in that respect. Job well done Ogle, Murphy and co.

The privatisation thing, I'm not entirely convinced that was the real driving force behind the campaign. Listen, it was an impressive and successful grass routes movement and it was great to see people power in action like that. But badly needed investment in water infrastructure has been set back years. Paying for water by usage is international best practice and absolutely normal for decades in the rest of the developed world. As I said yesterday, how much could the lives of Irish people have been improved if all that effort had gone into demanding an overhauling of the HSE?

suicide_circus

suicide_circus wrote: »

The privatisation thing, I'm not entirely convinced that was the real driving force behind the campaign.

I say fair play to the Irish left for seeing the benefits of cutting taxes and limiting state enterprises.

An unexpected manouvre

Roger_007

I have my own well and sewerage treatmentsystem. 3 years ago I had to upgrade the whole system at a cost of €12k. In addition I have to pay, through my taxes, my share for the provision of water and sewerage services for all those ungrateful feckers who do not want to pay for what they get. Those people haven't a clue what those kind of services cost because they have got too used to getting things for nothing.

Hermy

You can drink it but it tastes of chlorine which is horrible.

elperello

Hermy wrote: »

You can drink it but it tastes of chlorine which is horrible.

It won't kill you but neither will it enhance your life.

MilesMorales1

The water here tastes of ****ing chlorine and thats not ok. I never thought I'd be the wanker who paid for bottled water but thats what I do now.

Rick Shaw

Rick Shaw wrote: »

I wasn't the protest, apart from not engaging with Irish water (which would put me firmly in the majority of our citizens) and being at a march or two with pals that is.

But future generations may well be thankful that our water service's were prevented from being privatised, which was the end goal.

So in that respect. Job well done Ogle, Murphy and co.

Yes. Well Done and thanks for leaving us, our children and their children with a broken infrastructure resulting in boil notices on a regular basis.

There was me thinking that the end game was elimination of charges (hasn’t happened) and endless publicity for a few who have nothing to offer the Country.

McMurphy

suicide_circus wrote: »

The privatisation thing, I'm not entirely convinced that was the real driving force behind the campaign.

i suppose when a minister directly involved in setting up Irish water let's the cat out of the bag ref privatisation, and then Eurostat state the exact same thing, people got suspicious,
Rightly so IMO.

Listen, it was an impressive and successful grass routes movement and it was great to see people power in action like that. But badly needed investment in water infrastructure has been set back years.

I would agree ref the movement, but the misappropriation of taxpayers cash, not being spent pin infrastructure/ improvements can only be blamed on govt, present and previous. I think I read that Irish water had cost the state over 1Billion euro thus far. That would have been much better spent on the infrastructure, rather than call centre's laughing yoga and giving Denis O'Brien state contracts and tax payer funded haircuts on bankrupt companies.

Paying for water by usage is international best practice and absolutely normal for decades in the rest of the developed world.

e even if A: Irish Waters own data says we're among the lowest users of water in the EU despite traditional non metering?
, and
B: FGs own "Expert Commission" reachd the conclusion that in this country, water was best paid for via general taxation. That didn't come from ogle, Murphy or an anonymous internet poster hiding n behind a pseudonym. Maybe a second opinion is needed, but few here would disregard the doctors prescription, just because the medicine isn't nice.

As I said yesterday, how much could the lives of Irish people have been improved if all that effort had gone into demanding an overhauling of the HSE?

Irish water had the potential to become the HSE II. nipped in the bud (if after a billion or mire was squandered) was the best result.

No doubt it'll feature in reeling in the years in the future. Colleges and universities may well base modules on it on how not to set up new entities under a business course or two.

Regardless. It makes FFs evote machine waste small beer in comparison.

McMurphy

Roger_007 wrote: »

I have my own well and sewerage treatmentsystem. 3 years ago I had to upgrade the whole system at a cost of €12k. In addition I have to pay, through my taxes, my share for the provision of water and sewerage services for all those ungrateful feckers who do not want to pay for what they get. Those people haven't a clue what those kind of services cost because they have got too used to getting things for nothing.

In return our taxes pay for your annual govt subsidised grant for maintaining and running it.

I would also guess you pay a substantially smaller LPT than your sewered suburban cousins.

Swings/Roundbouts.

Roger Hassenforder

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yes. Well Done and thanks for leaving us, our children and their children with a broken infrastructure resulting in boil notices on a regular basis.

There was me thinking that the end game was elimination of charges (hasn’t happened) and endless publicity for a few who have nothing to offer the Country.

And now we've even less to spend on said infrastructure after we pay for IW.

suicide_circus

Rick Shaw wrote: »

i suppose when a minister directly involved in setting up Irish water let's the cat out of the bag ref privatisation, and then Eurostat state the exact same thing, people got suspicious,
Rightly so IMO.
I would agree ref the movement, but the misappropriation of taxpayers cash, not being spent pin infrastructure/ improvements can only be blamed on govt, present and previous. I think I read that Irish water had cost the state over 1Billion euro thus far. That would have been much better spent on the infrastructure, rather than call centre's laughing yoga and giving Denis O'Brien state corrects.
e even if A: Irish Waters own data says we're among the lowest users of water in the EU despite traditional non metering, and
B: FGs own "Expert Commission" raved the conclusion that in this country, water was best paid for via vegetable taxation. That didn't come from ogle, Murphy or an anonymous internet poster hiding n behind a pseudonym. Maybe a second opinion is needed, but few here would disregard the doctors prescription, just because the medicine isn't nice.


Irish water had the potential to become the HSE II. nipped in the bud (if after a billion or mire was squandered) was the best result.

No doubt it'll feature in reeling in the years in the future. Colleges and universities may well base modules on it on how not to set up new entities under a business course or two.

Regardless. It makes FFs evote machine waste small bet in comparison.

You make some fair points. Only time will tell I suppose. My guess is that we've delayed the inevitable. The polutter pays principle is not some fringe right wing conspiracy against the people.

Richard Hillman

I didn't really want to go down the water charges route. What I'm trying to say is that if you read the headlines, you'd think we have a 3rd world water system that was dangerous to drink. When in reality, it's not great but it certainly shouldn't be tagged as "contaminated". There is a big difference between contaminated water and flawed water.

elperello

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I didn't really want to go down the water charges route. What I'm trying to say is that if you read the headlines, you'd think we have a 3rd world water system that was dangerous to drink. When in reality, it's not great but it certainly shouldn't be tagged as "contaminated". There is a big difference between contaminated water and flawed water.

In the vast majority of the country the water is safe to drink.
If anyone is interested enough you can check and see where your water comes from.

Details will be available from the LA and IW.

wakka12

The water has been fine and tasted good and didnt make me sick in every house and business Ive been in ireland since I can remember. the only time was when we went to clare once to stay with relatives but you couldnt drink the water because of cryptosprodium but I think that was just temporary

The tap water in my own house is sometimes a bit cloudy actually and if you let it settle youll see a few grains of what look like sand at the bottom. My brother only drinks bottled water because of this but Ive been drinking several litres of the tap water daily for years and im fine

PMBC

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I didn't really want to go down the water charges route. What I'm trying to say is that if you read the headlines, you'd think we have a 3rd world water system that was dangerous to drink. When in reality, it's not great but it certainly shouldn't be tagged as "contaminated". There is a big difference between contaminated water and flawed water.

Yes, lots of replies but not many answering your question. I was involved in water for quite a number of years but have no current connection.. The headline writers are more interested in presenting facts in a particular way to attract readers. Most Irish water supplies are excellent - they have to be to comply wit the Drinking Water Regulations. Where there are non-compliances they are often short-lived. Other cases are a result of under-investment over the last fifty, at leat years. The lead problem can be mitigated by running the drinking water tap for a short time before filling the glass or cup. Chlorine as a disinfectant is widely used worldwide and has saved far more lives than those lost by people, if any, being killed by consuming chlorinated water.
There are other forms of disinfection such as Ozone and uv but they are more expensive. Tap water in Dublin is excellent in quality, but a bit 'bland' for my taste as a result of softening or because of its sources not being groundwater. IMHO bottled water is either one of the greatest 'cons' or the greatest business idea ever, depending on your point of view. I believe there is a concern about he leaching of plastic - pthalates - from bottled water containers but I'm not up to date on that. I often drink bottled water, filled from my tap!
Middle eastern countries generally don't drink 'tap water' often because it is desalinated and contains an amount of salt even after the 'desal'. That is possibly one of the reasons. Well or non desalinated water is often referred to sweet water in countries like KSA.
Apologies for the long post.

edalton471

I worked for a company recently where my job was to travel around Leinster/Munster, calling to peoples doors to collect water samples for quality analysis. Specifically, to be tested for metals in the water, such as lead, copper, iron etc.

The only test results that ever came back high were for iron, which would have no health effects whatsoever. But I will say that a lot of the water samples I collected, taken from peoples kitchen taps, I would not have drank if you paid me. Water coming out so cloudy it was barely transparent, or reddish brown, or even yellow sometimes. some of it you could smell the chlorine off, never mind tasting it.

I had a lot of people tell me they never drink the water, except for making tea. I also had a lot of people give out to me about IW even though I didn't work for them, stating they won't pay for water they can't drink. Fair enough, but how do you expect it to get better without investment?

suicide_circus

^^^^by redirecting some of the general taxation money into water investment. So basically taking some of the money that pays people's social welfare, pays nurses, special needs assistants etc and using this to replace water pipes etc. Because we don't want to pay by usage. Oh and btw we don't want to pay more taxes either.

edalton471

"taking some of the money that pays people's social welfare" haha seriously though, imagine the protests if that was announced

McMurphy

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes. Well Done and thanks for leaving us, our children and their children with a broken infrastructure resulting in boil notices on a regular basis.

Didn't you say your water service has never been better since Irish water came into town?

Miles and miles of shiny new pipes. Far as the eye could see. Taps that dispensed the sweetest most refreshing water every time. Straight from the fountains of the gods.

Irish water apparently are remaining. Why would that change so?

There was me thinking that the end game was elimination of charges (hasn’t happened) .

You rhyming that one off like you're clinging to a security blanket of sorts. However, every time I read it, I just think of this.

My sister lives in an area that has been on boil notice for nearly 2 years due to cryptosporidium. So yeah, some areas in the country it isn’t safe to drink water.

Strawberry Milkshake

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

My sister lives in an area that has been on boil notice for nearly 2 years due to cryptosporidium. So yeah, some areas in the country it isn’t safe to drink water.

Its not a very nice thing to say but its the truth......nobody cares.


Also Iv just realised that crypto causes diarrhoea and one of the main groups opposing irish water were.... "The Trots" :pac:

Atoms for Peace

The risk due to lead pipes is for the most part exaggerated, unless the water supply is very acidic.