I'm pleased to see that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has removed Kilkenny City's water supply from their Remedial Action List following a €33 million upgrade of the Troyswood Water Treatment Plant. The Remedial Action List identifies water supplies which at ‘at risk’ and require further upgrades in order to ensure full compliance with drinking water standards.
Having campaigned for many years to improve our local water quality, and in particular to eliminate Trihalomethanes (THMs) in the water, I'm delighted that this very significant investment in Kilkenny’s water infrastructure will ensure that over 30,000 people in Kilkenny City and its environs to enjoy safe, clean drinking water.
THMs – which occur when organic matter in raw water mixes with the chlorination process in treating water – are a threat to human health and the WHO has highlighted that some THMs are classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Kilkenny city and Inistioge were identified some years ago as having water supplies high in THMs and this has long been a matter of huge concern for me. I met with Uisce Éireann and demanded that the matter be given highest priority. It has taken some time but thankfully now both supplies have been prioritised.
Ensuring that everyone has access to clean, safe, high quality water will always be a priority for the Green Party and for me personally. We secured a commitment in the Programme for Government that Uisce Éireann would progress works to reduce the number of schemes on the EPA’s Remedial Action List, and to reduce public health risks through our water supply, including Trihalomethane exceedances in treatment plants. We’ve now delivered on that commitment for the people of Kilkenny.
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