The Water Advisory Body (WAB) published its second quarter report of 2021 today. The WAB reports on how Irish Water is performing against its own Strategic Funding Plan.
In Quarter 2 2021, the WAB welcomes the continued decrease in Boil Water Notices issued by Irish Water and its performance on lead replacement but also notes an increase in the number of customers on the Remedial Action List (drinking water supplies that need corrective action) with an additional 5000 customers now receiving ‘at-risk’ water supplies bringing the total number of customers receiving ‘at-risk’ supplies to over 1 million.
Some of the key findings in the report include:
First Fix Free Scheme – There has been a continued and disappointing drop-off in the total number of lead repairs completed under the scheme since mid-2016. However, the WAB anticipates that the expansion of the First Fix Free Scheme as well as the implementation of the Household Water Conversation Policy later this year, will result in higher numbers of leak repairs in the future.
Remedial Action List (Water) – Progress that was being made in 2020 was reversed during the last Quarter. Currently, there are now 48 supplies on the Remedial Action List and eight supplies on this list for which Irish Water has not submitted a completion date.
Priority Urban Areas – The WAB notes the Environmental Protection Agency’s concerns that further delays in connecting wastewater treatment plants to towns and villages in need, will lead to a continued discharge in raw sewage from these areas even after 2024.
Lead service connections replaced – As per last report, Irish Water only expects to replace 7% of remaining public side lead connections by 2024, indicating that it will fall short of its goal of replacing all lead services by 2026.
Boil Water Notices – A decline in the total number of consumers on Boil Water Notices at the end of Q1 2021. All 17 notice in place at end of Q1 2021 were in “long term” boil water notices, meaning the notice was in place for more than 30 days.
Urban Waste Water Treatment Plants – Population served by Urban Waste Water Treatment Plants that are not compliant has increased from 25% to 28%. The percentage of urban regions achieving their license standards has declined slightly, according to the report.
