| Water Pollution |
| Scientist hit on ingenious way to purify
water
Researchers have hit upon an incredibly simple way to purify drinking water. Dr.Robert Reed, University of Northumbria, discovered that sunlight could clean up nasty microbes, but only if there was free oxygen in the water. The action of the ultraviolet light from the sun on oxygen dissolved in the water creates temporary free radicals which inactivate faecal bacteria. The World Health Organisation estimates that one person in four across the globe drinks contaminated water, a practice that kills 3.4m people a year, mostly children. |
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Kerry's waterworks June 2001 Kerry Co Council have received an allocation of 450,000 for Small Water Schemes in the county, and with their own contribution the fund will be 600,000. For Brosna and Knocknagoshel this means: Complete pipeline from Brosna/Knocknagoshel Group Scheme to Knocknagoshel to eliminate old source |
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Rural water programme, February16th 2001 Kerry County Council has received an initial allocation of £945,000 from the department of the Environment for the 2001 Rural Water Programme. Kerry will be in receipt of a further allocation in the current year and the council is expecting further information on this allocation . The Programme should cover construction and improvements to small-public schemes. The Council currently has nine group schemes under construction at Banemore, Boolteens/Lassaboy, Brosna/Knocknagoshel, Coomafanida, Dirreenavurig, Glens North, Leamydoody, Maugha and Rathoran. The County Council has requested funds for refurbishment works to improve water quality at existing privately sourced group schemes from the Department. The Council anticipates that the majority of these works will go ahead in the current year. |
| Kerry eye, 22nd June
2000
The minister of environment Noel Dempsey promised to eliminate inferior drinking water quality in rural areas. |
35 million pounds has been allocated for
this purpose.
A 100 % grant to enable private group water schemes to install essential disinfections and filtration equipment. Last month the law changed in regard to private group water schemes, and must comply with health related parameters by 2003.
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Poor quality drinking water poses risk to 400,000 One in eight people are at risk from drinking sub-standard water, a damming OECD report reveals. It also highlights a serious risk of contamination of drinking supplies by deadly pathogens in areas where slurry is spread on farms. The study says as many as 400,000 people are at risk. Contamination by e-coli in the form of faecal coliforms is widespread, affecting 34pc of groundwater. A national plan to reduce air pollution emissions is demanded as Ireland has not been able to meet agreed targets in the first ever environmental audit of this country by the OECD. Some pollutants such as sulphur dioxide are 62pc higher and life expectancy at middle age is lower than in most EU countries. The transport sector is blamed for respiratory health problems from air emissions while sulphur dioxide emissions from power generation in industry and fuel use are also a major problem. Intensive farming practices, fertiliser use and slurry spreading are firmly blamed for much of the water pollution damage. Nitrate levels- which can damage children's health, cause blue baby syndrome, and possible cancer- in water is increasing in the southeast where most of the arable farming is carried out. Sewage sludge from septic tanks in some rural areas was collected by uncontrolled private enterprises. More than one million tonnes of waste from households is ending up in sub-standard landfill, most of which needs to be upgraded to meet proper environmental standards. OECD Report web site: http://www.oecd.org/env/ccst/est/pastact/van3.htm environmental protection agency EPA www.epa.ie/default.htm environmental & local government website www.environ.ie
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