'Extremely concerned' Tipp officials ask for solution to high levels of THM in water supply

Local representatives have sounded alarm over water quality in the Nenagh district and are calling on the relevant authorities to take action.

North Tipp Councillor Seamie Morris says that dangerously high levels of THMs have been recorded in the Nenagh area since 2019 and are putting people at risk.

In particular, he says Silvermines, Portroe, Dromineer, Gortagarry, and Toomevara have seen dangerous levels according to figures supplied by Irish Water, and the Nenagh Councillor highlighted the issue at a recent meeting of the Nenagh Municipal District.

Recently the EU found Ireland guilty of failing to ensure safe drinking water with the concentration of Trihalomethanes or THMs in the public supply nationally which are considered harmful to both human health and the environment.

“They can cause cancer,” Cllr Morris said of THMs. He wanted the matter brought to the attention of Uisce Éireann and the Environmental Protection Agency.

“They’re putting more and more chemicals into water – the water serving Nenagh – to try and keep the THM’s under the limit and that’s worrying as well because you’re putting a whole load of chemicals into treat water that is serving the public. Irish Water tells me that the Nenagh supply is on the remedial action list for THM’s.”

“Our wastewater treatment plants in the Silvermines, Cloughjordan and other places are in a shocking state and not even on a remedial list.

“So you look at this and say hang on a second – we need to spend the money on rural Ireland. We don’t need to spend €1.7 billion pumping water to Dublin to leak into the ground in Dublin.”

Cllr Michael O'Meara was also concerned about raw sewage being pumped into local rivers. He recalled questioning a particular situation at the Brosna River and being told that the amount of pollution was so small that there was no need to be alarmed.

“I don't accept that,” Cllr O'Meara exclaimed. “We're all collectively putting our heads in the sand here and the quality of our water is suffering.”