Minister Noonan calls for well water testing to be made free

Around 500,000 people living in rural areas rely on private domestic wells for their drinking water. The EPA recommends that such supplies are tested once per year, however the cost of such tests can be in excess of €200. 

Speaking at the Rural Water Conference in Athlone today (12th September), Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform and Green Party TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Malcolm Noonan, said it was time for the cost of private domestic well water testing to be made free and the testing process made more accessible:

“Environmental health meets public health in our kitchen taps, and checking that your household has a safe drinking water supply is something that should be made free and easy.  I think well water quality and free testing should be a key issue for the next Government. It’s a simple measure that I think is very important for the 10% of the population living in rural areas, who depend on these supplies."

Ireland has the highest incidence of VTEC E.coli in Europe and a substantial proportion of cases have been linked to contaminated private drinking water supplies. However, private domestic wells fall outside the Drinking Water Regulations and as such are not checked or monitored. According to the EPA, these are a potential risk to public health.

Minister Noonan added: 

“Too many people in rural areas are drinking water from contaminated private supplies, completely unaware that they are putting their health at risk. I have set up an Expert Group to examine the issue and see how the Government could provide more help and support, and I very much look forward to hearing their recommendations. I don’t think it’s right that the financial burden - particularly for testing - should be on people living in rural areas, when this is not the case for people in towns and cities.”