Irish Water faces Environment Protection Agency charges

State-owned, Irish Water is being prosecuted by the country’s Environment Protection Agency (EPA) over drinking water issues affecting supplies to two villages in County Cork.

The company faces charges that following a direction given on 5 June 2015 in respect of supply of drinking water at Drimoleague and Kealkill, it failed to submit final reports to the EPA before the end of 2018, verifying that trihalomethane (THMs) levels were not excessive.

THMs, which can have a carcinogenic effect if consumed over long periods, are a bi-product of the chlorination process which disinfects ground water.

The case has been adjourned while the company decides how it will plead.