This article is from page 16 of the 2008-05-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
THE public will be alerted if water quality in Ennis deteriorates or the risk posed by consumption increas- oe
Town Engineer Tom Tiernan was speaking at the May meeting of En- nis Town Council. Called to defend the council’s handling of a recent En- vironmental Protection Agency re- port critical of water management in Clare, Mr Tiernan said, “When you go out with a message about crypt- osporidium, you create panic”.
Mr Tiernan said that since the in- troduction of a temporary treatment plant, “The risk has not increased, it has reduced. It is absolutely mini- mal”.
Mr Tiernan said on the day the EPA
audit was carried out 17 per cent of the water supply for Ennis did not pass through the filtration system.
Mr Tiernan said, ““We manage the risks, people get the facts if the sup- ply deteriorates or the risk increases. 100 per cent of the water supply is going through the filters for the past few weeks”.
Mr Tiernan said that while certain sections of the community remained vulnerable, the risk of illness from drinking the public water supply had been exaggerated.
He said, “I opened up a prominent tourism website and it stated that En- nis water is unsafe to drink. Some of the pictures put up there send out a scare message about Ennis”.
Town Manager Tom Coughlan said, “If there was an increased risk
the HSE would implement the boil notice. We are trying to manage the situation without provoking panic.” |
Green Party councillor Donal O Bearra criticised the council’s reac- tion to the EPA’s findings.
He said, “In a town that has had water problems for the past 16 years any EPA report should be sent to all councillors. It 1s the public interest that guides us.”
Fianna Fail councillor Tom Glynn said, “I would agree that our image has been damaged. We should be in- formed”.
Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn said the EPA report “highlighted the benefits of external auditing”.
A pre-cautionary boil notice re- mains in place in Ennis for vulner- able groups including people with
immuno-suppression, children under five and visitors.