Pesticide exceedances - detections continue in Co. Tipperary

Great care must always be taken to protect drinking water supplies wherever pesticide use is considered necessary, particularly if using products for grassland weed control containing substances such as MCPA, fluroxypyr and 2,4-D.
These substances and others have been detected in drinking water supplies across Ireland.

Irish Water, working in partnership with a range of organisations involved in the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG) is providing advice and guidance to all users of pesticides to ensure that best practice measures to protect drinking waters are always followed.

Farmers and other landholders dealing with the challenge of tackling rushes should note that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has developed new guidance on the sustainable management of rushes. The new approach is based on the concepts of containment or suppression, and aims to minimise the use of pesticides.

More information on this can be obtained from your local farm advisor or on www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie/ sud/waterprotection
There are currently six priority catchment areas of particular concern where exceedances of pesticides are persistent, including Newport (Glyphosate/MCPA).

The Dundrum Regional Water Supply in Tipperary is on this watch list for having exceedances for the pesticides MCPA and 2,4-D in 2018 and 2019.

Commenting, Patrick Duggan, Irish Water’s Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist said: “At a time of significant challenges for farmers and other essential workers managing land we are asking everyone to continue to be mindful to protect the water bodies.

“Supplies such as Dundrum are vulnerable to contamination from land and animal run-off in the catchment of the Multeen River. Irish Water asks users of pesticide products in the county to consider the vulnerability of this drinking water supply to pesticide contamination and the importance of this supply to the local community.”

Irish Water would like to remind farmers and professional users of pesticides of the need to follow best practice in the application of pesticides, particularly near lakes and rivers used as drinking water sources.

If pesticides have to be used, the basic steps in reducing risks are –
Choose the right pesticide product (Note that products containing MCPA are NOT approved for use in weed-wipers.)
Read and follow the product label
Determine the right amount to purchase and use
Don’t spray if rain or strong wind is forecast in the next 48 hours
Make sure you are aware of the location of all nearby water courses
Comply with any buffer zone specified on the product label to protect the aquatic environment. Mark out the specified buffer zone from the edge of the river or lake or other water course
Never fill a sprayer directly from a water course or carry out mixing, loading or other handling operations beside a water course
Avoid spills, stay well back from open drains and rinse empty containers 3 times into the sprayer.
Store and dispose of pesticides and their containers properly.

A recently produced video on the correct use of MCPA can be viewed on Irish Water’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/xQqtZ7jifUs