The European Commission has expressed its concern at the continued presence of E.coli in some Irish drinking water supplies despite substantial Government investment.
The commission confirmed today it was sending Ireland a final written warning for failing to fully comply with a 2002 European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling requiring drinking water supplies to be kept free of the potentially deadly bacteria.
In the legal notice the commission concludes that more than half of private group water supplies in Cavan, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo, Donegal and Sligo breached the EU's E.coli standard in 2005.
It pinpoints animal waste, defective septic tanks and the absence of proper treatment as some of the causes of the high levels of the bacteria.
The commission is also sending the Government a similar warning for failing to comply with a 2005 ECJ ruling requiring greater controls on pollution of surface water by local authorities.
If the responses to the written warning are unsatisfactory, the commission said it may ask the ECJ to impose financial penalties on Ireland.
The commission has also decided to refer Ireland to the ECJ for failing to give adequate rights to citizens to legally challenge decisions in cases involving environmental impact assessments and pollution prevention and control.
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said "I am concerned that, more than four years after a court ruling, and despite substantial Government investments, a significant number of local authority and private water supplies still show a presence of E.coli.
"This needs to be resolved without further delay."
