Carlow among the counties where an above allowable limit of pesticides were detected in drinking water

Above the allowable limit of pesticides has been detected in drinking water 81 times this year, including locally.

The Environmental Protection Agency took enforcement action on each occasion.

Pesticides are often used by farmers to clear unwanted material from their lands, but they can also be used for domestic use.

Sometimes the pesticides can make their way into water supplies.

Irish Water has tested water supplies nearly 24,000 times this year to see if they had above the allowable limit.

There have been 81 failures, across 32 different supplies.

They’re located in several different counties, including Carlow, Louth, Wexford, Donegal, Tipperary, Monaghan and Limerick.

One of the common pesticides detected was glyphosate, which is often used in weed killers.

John Leamy is the drinking water compliance lead with Irish Water and he says “An important message really to understand in relation to these failures is that there’s no threat to public health and that Irish Water, we notify the HSE every time we detect a failure for pesticide and if public health was in jeopardy we would impose a ‘do not consume’ notice on the affected water supply and this has never happened in Ireland to date”.

Irish Water also says it wants to reduce the risk posed by pesticides by raising awareness and through engagement & collaboration.