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28 Apr
Irish Water has confirmed that two County Cork water supplies had tests that revealed 'excessive' levels of pesticides in 2021.
Two chemicals, pesticides MCPA and Triclopyr were detected in the public drinking water supplies in Glanmire and Youghal last year.
These exceedances were detected as part of Irish Water’s public water supply monitoring programme.
MCPA is still the most commonly detected pesticide in drinking water sources and is present in many commonly used herbicide products used to control thistles, docks and rushes.
Irish Water says that despite these results, there was a "significant reduction in the number of exceedances for pesticides in public drinking water supplies in Cork last year.
"In 2020 the utility detected 6 exceedances in samples taken on 4 supplies (Bantry/Cahernacrin (MCPA exceedance), Glanmire (MCPA, 2,4-D, Fluroxypyr and Mecoprop exceedances), Glashaboy (MCPA exceedance), Glengarriff (Triclopyr exceendance) as part of its ongoing monitoring, however, this had reduced to two (Glanmire – Triclopyr & Youghal - MCPA) in 2021," Irish Water said in a statement today.
The Glanmire water supply takes raw water from Coolquesk Bridge, Kilquana Bridge, Butlerstown and the Butlerstown river tributary, part of the Butlerstown River catchment. The Youghal water supply takes raw water from the Glendine river.
Irish Water is asking users of any herbicide or pesticide products to continue to consider the vulnerability of their local drinking water supplies to pesticide contamination and the importance of these supplies to local homes and businesses in the community.
Irish Water is asking the farming community, greens keepers, groundskeepers, and also domestic users of pesticides, to consider in each case whether they need to use pesticides at all.
"Minimising pesticide use not only helps to protect water quality but also has wider environmental benefits. For example, leaving areas unsprayed can help native flowering plant species to grow and support a range of insects including bees and other vital pollinators.
"One-third of Ireland’s bee species are threatened with extinction and by helping the bee population survive and thrive we are also helping to protect our precious water sources."
Deirdre O’ Loughlin, Irish Water’s Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist said: “In Co Cork, the exceedances of the drinking water regulations for MCPA and Triclopyr were noted in the Glanmire and Youghal public water supplies following routine sampling."
"While our consultation with the HSE has concluded that the levels we are detecting do not represent a threat to public health, they are still however undesirable in drinking water and it is therefore imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when using herbicides or pesticides and seek out alternatives.”