The pesticide MCPA has been detected in the Longford Central Public Water Supply.

The detection was found by Irish Water in July this year following a number of detections in the supply in April and May, 2019.

While the pesticide levels detected in the Longford Central supply do not pose any immediate risk to health, it is imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when spraying their lands. Irish Water, working in partnership with a range of organisations involved in the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG), is providing advice and guidance to all users of pesticides including the farming community, greens keepers and grounds keepers and domestic users, to ensure that best practice measures to protect drinking waters are always followed. Farmers and other landholders dealing with the challenge of tackling rushes should note that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has developed new guidance on the sustainable management of rushes. The new approach is based on the concepts of containment or suppression, and aims to minimise the use of pesticides.

There are currently six priority catchment areas of particular concern where exceedances of pesticides are persistent. These are Longford Central (MCPA), Newcastle West (MCPA), Belturbet (MCPA), Cavan RWSS (MCPA), Clonroche (Bentazone), and Newport (Glyphosate/MCPA). All of these areas are being prioritised for action by members of the NPDWAG. There is a separate watch list, currently comprising over 20 supplies, which is also a focus for targeted actions, since the pattern of detections in these areas indicates a risk of persistent pesticide exceedances. The Longford public water supply is on this watch list for having exceedances for MCPA in 2019.

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Efforts to reduce the incidence of detections are being coordinated by the NPDWAG which is chaired by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. All of the key stakeholders are represented in this group and include other Government departments and agencies; local authorities; industry representative bodies; farming organisations; water sector organisations; and amenity sector organisations. Additionally, Irish Water is working closely with local stakeholders through its involvement with the Lough Forbes Catchment Focus Group which was formed to specifically address long standing issues with pesticides in the catchment.

Andrew Boylan, Irish Water's Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist, commented: "These are significantly challenging times for farmers and other essential workers managing land and we are asking everyone to continue to be mindful to protect our raw water sources. While MCPA accounted for the majority (63 per cent) of pesticide exceedances detected nationally in public water supplies during 2019, Irish Water routinely tests for a wide range of pesticides and is closely monitoring the situation for pesticides other than MCPA. Irish Water is continuing its extensive investment programme to safeguard the water supply for homes, farms and businesses in Ireland.

"Providing safe, clean drinking water for all is our first priority. In Ireland, the majority (82 per cent) of drinking water supplies come from surface water sources such as rivers, lakes and streams. Supplies such as Longford Central are vulnerable to contamination from land and animal run-off. Irish Water asks users of pesticide products in the Lough Forbes catchment to consider the vulnerability of the Longford drinking water supply to pesticide contamination and the importance of this supply to the local community."