Concerns over pesticide levels in the water supply in west Limerick have been brought to the fore this week after a resident in Abbeyfeale highlighted the plight for locals and fish stocks in the area.

Brendan Danaher says that the issue was first brought to residents’ attention in mid-2018 when Irish Water informed “up to 20,000 people in west Limerick” that their public water supply had been contaminated by elevated levels of pesticide.

He says the pesticide detected comes from a herbicide known as MCPA.

Meanwhile, there were “persistent pesticide failures” at the Abbeyfeale Treatment Plant in Co. Limerick and at the Listowel Regional Plant in Co. Kerry in 2017.

‘My Silver River Feale’

The source of the water supply for these two plants is the River Feale.

The drinking water supplied from the River Feale has a level of pesticide above the EU standard and yet Irish Water tells us that the water is safe to drink.

Danaher continued: “The water services policy statement 2018 to 2025 – published in May 2018 – called for better engagement with, and greater transparency for, people using public water supplies.

“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Drink Water Report for Public Supplies 2017 and it makes for interesting reading…

“It clearly states that pesticides should not be present in drinking water sources.”

Are inspection procedures working?

Danaher went on to say that it has now emerged that the River Feale has been testing positive for elevated levels of pesticides since early 2017.

This, he adds, raises serious questions for government agencies.

The Co. Limerick resident also pointed out that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has a role to play in the matter, because as far as he is concerned, “it is quite obvious that the guidelines regarding the spraying of MCPA are being breached on a regular basis”.

The inspection procedures are clearly not working.

He added: “The department must be aware that the River Feale is a designated salmonid fishery protected by EU Directive 92/43/EEC.

“It therefore has special status that affords special protection to wild Atlantic salmon and sea-trout under Special Area of Conservation (SAC) legislation.”

Separately, he pointed to a salmonid fishery and how it is a “finely balanced eco-system”.

Any type of chemical contamination has serious consequences for its future.

Danaher continued: “Salmon and sea-trout harvested by salmon and sea-trout anglers and commercial net-men are part of the food chain – do these fish have pesticide residue?

“The Abbeyfeale Water Treatment plant is on the EPA’s Drink Water Remedial Action list.

“EPA proposes a complete catchment focused engagement involving Irish Water and the relevant stakeholders.

“The EPA requires pesticide compliance by December 2019.”

What do we do?

Danaher then pointed to the interim and raised the question: “Are we supposed to drink water on a daily basis that has elevated levels of pesticides?”

What does that do to the health of a person who has been drinking this water during 2017 and 2018?

He continued: “Do we have to drink it until December 2019 – which is the proposed deadline for elimination of pesticide in our drinking water?

“I cannot find any scientific data telling me that it is safe to drink water that has elevated levels of pesticide.”