Press Release
Friday, 21st November, 2008
Improvement in lead levels in water but Waterford City Council repeats advice to householders in affected areas
Waterford City Council today (November 21) confirmed that the latest round of results from testing in areas previously identified as having excess levels of lead in the public water supply has indicated that lead levels are falling after the Council took steps to adjust the pH level measuring acidity and alkalinity in the supply.
However, as it has still to determine if the reduced lead levels will be sustained over time, the Council is continuing to advise the occupants of older homes in two residential areas close to the city centre to continue taking precautions before using tap water for drinking or food preparation.
The first area of the city where an issue arose is bordered by a line from The Mall (though not including The Mall) out the Newtown/Dunmore Road as far as Glenville and from Johnstown via John’s Hill, Grange Park, Passage Road and back to the Dunmore Road.
Similar issues subsequently arose in an area covering the ‘top of the town’, taking in Keane’s Road, Marian Park, Ozanam St, Cathal Brugha St, Military Road, Morrison’s Road, St Carthage’s Avenue, Blake’s Lane, Presentation Row and Slievekeale Road. Also impacted are Congress Place, Tycor Ave, Griffith Place, Ard Na Greine, Cannon Street, Luke Wadding St, Sexton St, Leamy St, the Upper Yellow Road and the older part of Ferrybank including Rockenham and Marymount.
Householders affected will have received notices from the local authority and are continuing to be advised by the Council and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to let their cold tap run off a sink full of water which should be discarded before water is poured for human consumption. This is especially important first thing in the morning and when water has not run through the taps for six hours or more.
Home owners in the Tycor Avenue area are advised to run their water for five minutes after particularly high lead levels were found in their supply.
If substituting bottled water in cases of young children and pregnant women or to make infant formula, people are advised to ensure this water is labelled as ‘natural mineral water’ and is certified as having a sodium content of less than 20mg/litre.
Colette Byrne, Director of Services, Waterford City Council said: “We are continuing to investigate the cause of the breaches of the lead/water limit of 25 microgrammes per litre. While we are doing this and until such a time as we can ensure that the improvements can be sustained and any further corrective action has been taken, we are urging householders in the area involved to take the precautions advised by the HSE.
“Since October 24, the treatment plant at Adamstown has increased the pH level of the water. The early impact of this has been positive with significant reductions in lead levels recorded in individual houses. Over 83 per cent of the most recent tests we have conducted showed lead levels below the current limit with this figure increasing to 100 per cent after water was allowed run off for five minutes.
“Our priority now is to see if this improvement is maintained over time and - until that can be confirmed - our advice to householders in those areas affected remains to take the precautions we advised them of last month. We will also continue to provide up-dates through local media and online at www.waterfordcity.ie,” Ms Byrne added.
Speaking more generally, the Director of Services said, “Waterford City Council continues to work closely with both the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the HSE regarding advice in relation to any human health issues that may arise. We have also met with the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government about the early delivery of a mains rehabilitation works programme in the worst affected areas. We will now make a formal submission to the Department in this regard.
“Waterford City Council will also assess the local authority houses in affected areas to see what measures can be taken with the service pipes that bring water on the final stretch to household taps. For those who privately own their homes, we can provide advice on measures they may wish to take in their own properties.
“The advice only applies to householders in the affected areas who have received information leaflets and there is no cause for concern about the general water quality in the city.”
Helpline: 051 - 849563