A new report from the Irish EPA claims that the lack of regular monitoring for E coli in Ireland is worrying as users may unwittingly be drinking poor quality water which could expose them to serious illness. This is particularly the case for people who are vulnerable, such as children, older people, or those with low immunity or underlying medical conditions. The report shows also that small private water wells have the worst E.coli contamination levels, much more so than public water supplies or privately-owned group water schemes.
One of the safest ways to ensure safe drinking water from a private water well is to install a water filtration system. If you own or get your drinking water from a private well, a government grant of up 75% of the cost of upgrading the well is available from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. The grant can be used to assist with protecting and maintaining your water well or installing basic treatment like a disinfection or filtration system. For more information, click here to download or read the full EPA report.