Louth water contaminated by lead
Elaine Keogh
THE water supply in parts of Co Louth has been contaminated by lead and in at least one case the reading was more than four times the recommended safe limit for drinking.
Around 10 separate locations throughout the county have been identified as being above 25 micrograms of lead per litre which existing legislation says is the limit for safe drinking water.
One of those was more than 100 micrograms per litre according to council sources. The high readings have been found in both houses and commercial premises.
Last night a statement from Louth County Council said that it was contacted on Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency to say "a review of test results from a two-year period indicated that safe limits for lead content in water had been breached in a number of samples of water from particular commercial and residential premises tested by the EPA on the Council's behalf."
The latest scare about lead in water supplies follows extensive testing in parts of Galway city. It is not clear whether the source of the contamination in Co Louth is lead piping leading to the buildings from the public water supply or the water supply itself.
The locations reviewed by the EPA are in the older parts of Dundalk and Drogheda town and in the rural county area.
At least one is a public house. Louth Local Authorities have confirmed that they are continuing to analyse water from locations in the Louth County Council; Drogheda Borough Council and Dundalk Town Council administrative areas to address concerns at possibly increased levels of lead at a small number of specific sites.
Eamonn Walsh, Director of Services, Louth County Council said: "We are working closely with the EPA and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to determine what course of action may be needed.
"We will take all appropriate steps to ensure there is no risk to public health and, given the increased focus that there is on a national level on issues around water supply, we also wish to assure consumers in Louth that there is no reason for concern about water quality."
- Elaine Keogh
