Irish Water has confirmed that works are progressing and are on target across the four water supply schemes in Co. Roscommon which are on the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) Remedial Action List (RAL). Irish Water says it is investing in ongoing projects to tackle the different risks posted to the water supply affecting over 18,000 people in the county. Four water supplies in Roscommon remain on the RAL, which was published last week. They are Ballinlough/Loughglynn, Grangemore, North East Regional WSS, and North Roscommon Regional WSS.
Ballinlough/Loughglynn plant
The Ballinlough/Loughglynn plant is also on the RAL due to inadequate treatment for cryptosporidium. Cryptosporidium is a very real threat to the water supply if the proper barriers are not in place.
Irish Water says it is focused on finding the best and most sustainable solution for the 3,500 people on the Ballinlough/Loughglynn Water Supply Scheme, which is also currently on a boil water notice.
Originally, in January 2016, Irish Water proposed installing a containerised UV (ultra violet) disinfection system as an interim measure to enable the lifting of the boil water notice in Ballinlough. However, following a detailed assessment, it became evident that given the time it would take to deliver, install and test the equipment, it would be more efficient and effective to pursue the permanent and enduring solution to secure safe, reliable and high quality drinking water for Ballinlough.
Irish Water has determined that the most appropriate solution now is to extend the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme to Ballinlough and Williamstown. This project is being fast-tracked to ensure it is delivered as quickly as possible. This is a 12-month contract which is due to commence in early 2017 with the works to supply Ballinlough a priority.
Grangemore and North Roscommon
Grangemore WTW and North Roscommon WTW, which supplies water to 7,966 people, have periodically recorded elevated THM levels above the standard in the Drinking Water Regulations. THMs, or Trihalomethanes are chemicals formed by the reaction of naturally occurring dissolved organic material and chlorine which is used for disinfection in order to protect against pathogenic bacteria.
Currently Irish Water is upgrading the North Roscommon Regional Water Supply Scheme which is now also suppying the South Sligo Regional Water Supply, while the Grangemore scheme will be replaced by the Boyle/Ardcarne water supply in the medium term. In the short term the disinfection system is being optimised at this plant.
North-East Scheme
The boil water notice was lifted on the North-East Regional scheme in September of last year. The scheme was placed on the boil water notice two and a half years ago following the detection of cryptosporidium in the water supply. To address this, Irish Water has installed a temporary water treatment plant consisting of coagulation, containerised filtration and a UV disinfection system at Lisheen Lake. This investment, valued at over €800,000, was carried out by Irish Water’s regional minor programmes team.
This a temporary solution for the interim period until such time as the permanent water treatment plant is commissioned and fully operational. Once the permanent plant is commissioned, the temporary, containerised unit, which is portable, will be reused and deployed at future sites that require UV and/or filtration.
Construction works on the long-term solution for North-East Roscommon are continuing and involves constructing a new water treatment plant and intake works which will abstract and treat water from a new source at Grange Lough. This treatment plant will ultimately replace the temporary plant in operation at Lisheen Lake and is scheduled for completion in quarter two of 2017.
