No drinking water tests done since january 2017

luap_42

Hello,

I live in market town in West Clare with a town population of between 1-2000, a catchment area of another few thousand, and a summer population catchment area of up to 10,000.

I have been ill for months and have recently suspected my drinking water. I decided to switch to bottled water two weeks ago. Within 12 hours of switching to bottled water my upset stomach resolved itself. After a week I switched back to the mains drinking water, my previous extremely bad stomach problems returned within hours. Two days ago I once again switched to bottled water and my upset stomach has once again resolved within 12 hours.

The normal public mains water supply for my property is a lake/reservoir at the top of the hill a few miles up the road behind my house. I know from having a water test done by Clare County Council in 2009 that there are two water supply sources for my property, and that my house can be switched to either. I also know when this occurs as the water pressure drops to less than half of normal (and the taste of chlorine is significantly stronger) when we are switched to the larger water supply coming uphill from the town, rather than the smaller water supply coming down from the top of the hill behind my house. The drinking water tests listed on the council website pre-Irish Water listed both water supplies and regular tests at both every year.

Today, I decided to look for the water tests for my property on the Irish water website. To my shock they are NOT THERE. The tests stop at January 2017. Surely this is in breach of EU regulations?

I have been seeing Clare County Council water services vans around the area for the past number of months. There has been ZERO information about what they are doing, but we can see them digging up roads, bursting water mains, then fixing them. Our mains water has been switched between the two supplies numerous times within the last few months, and we have had no water a number of times also due to burst water mains by errant workmen.

My questions are twofold:


1/ Why do the tests for the water supply zone for my property STOP in January 2017? Surely it is legally incumbent on Irish Water to perform regular tests on ALL water sources, AND list ALL of these on the Irish Water website.


2/ How do I get Irish water to test the water at my property, and then give me access to the results of these tests?

Rgds,

Victor

luap_42 wrote: »

1/ Why do the tests for the water supply zone for my property STOP in January 2017? Surely it is legally incumbent on Irish Water to perform regular tests on ALL water sources, AND list ALL of these on the Irish Water website.

Did they stop then or are they simply not listed from that point on?

Irish Water: Amy

Hi luap_42,

Thanks for getting in touch and we're sorry to read about the disruptions you've experienced with your water quality.

If you visit here on our website, you should be able to see more recent water quality results for your area. Please let me know if you cannot complete this and I can follow up for you.

Would you mind sending us a PM with your name, address and contact number so we can take follow up on having the water supply in your area investigated?

Thanks,
Amy

luap_42

Irish Water: Amy wrote: »

Hi luap_42,

Thanks for getting in touch and we're sorry to read about the disruptions you've experienced with your water quality.

If you visit here on our website, you should be able to see more recent water quality results for your area. Please let me know if you cannot complete this and I can follow up for you.

Would you mind sending us a PM with your name, address and contact number so we can take follow up on having the water supply in your area investigated?

Thanks,
Amy

Hello Amy,

That is the exact same link I've already used to discover the missing water tests. My exact address comes up in the search, probably since Clare County Council performed a test at my property in 2009.

For instance the number of tests listed for the Water Supply Zone for my address are:
Categories - Bacteria and Protozoa, Chemicals, Metals, Other
2014         - 22, 43, 20, 29
2015         - 17, 46, 18, 21
2016         - 17, 40, 21, 21
2017         - 3, 1, 2, 4

2018 is not even listed.

It appears as if between three and four tests were done in 2017, however when I click on more detailed results I can see that only a single set of tests were done on 31-Jan-2017.

When I download the PDF report it lists only 2018 with ZERO tests.

Rgds,

Irish Water: Amy

Hi luap_42,

Thanks for your reply.

Would you mind sending us a DM with your name, address and contact number so we can follow up on the most recent water quality results for your area?

Thanks,
Amy