Avoca-Ballinclash water supply in Wicklow removed from the EPA's Remedial Action List

Avoca-Ballinclash water supply removed from Remedial Action List

Over 1,300 water consumers in Wicklow received good news this week following the removal of the Avoca-Ballinclash water supply by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from their Remedial Action List (RAL). The latest report from the EPA shows that Irish Water has reduced the number of schemes on the RAL in Wicklow from 22 to seven since 2015.

The RAL identifies drinking water supplies that are ‘at risk’ of failing to consistently supply safe, clean drinking water. The Avoca-Ballinclash water supply was given the thumbs up by the EPA following extensive investment and upgrade works by Irish Water working in partnership with Wicklow County Council.

Works are continuing on seven other Wicklow water supplies, with a view to having them removed from the RAL as soon as possible.

What is involved?

Andrew Boylan, Water Compliance Specialist with Irish Water says “The publication of the latest RAL by the EPA confirms that whilst improvements have been made in many areas, the scale of the challenge faced by Irish Water in ensuring the delivery of clean and safe water in Wicklow and throughout the country remains.

“As a single national utility Irish Water has been able to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of Ireland’s drinking water treatment plants and focus investment where the risk to our customers is highest. Nationally Irish Water has adopted a prioritised programme of works which will require an investment of €2 billion by 2021. Significant improvements are being achieved year on year by this approach right across the country.”

What are the next steps?

Irish Water is committed to ensuring that all of its customers have safe, clean drinking water. It is working in partnership with Local Authorities to address the issues affecting the water supplies which remain on the RAL and to bring them to a standard where the EPA determines that they can be removed.

The RAL is updated quarterly by the EPA for those water supplies where investment in treatment processes is required. Irish Water has a prioritised programme of investment for all schemes on the RAL.

More information

For more information on supply visit our Water Supply section. For updates visit our Water Supply Updates page.