Taoiseach: HSE warning to Uisce Éireann on water quality in Cork city ‘quite shocking’

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has described as “shocking” correspondence published by The Echo in which the HSE expressed alarm that Uisce Éireann had not informed the public of high manganese levels in Cork city’s drinking water.

Manganese is a naturally occurring mineral which can, at high levels, be extremely harmful, potentially affecting brain development in infants and children, and it can also cause symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease in adults.

On March 3, manganese levels almost four times the maximum allowed by EU law were recorded in a water supply potentially affecting 86,738 people on the northside and parts of the southside.

In correspondence released to Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, the HSE expressed serious concerns that Uisce Éireann, previously known as Irish Water, had not been informing members of the public who had been affected by manganese exceedances.

The HSE added that it was “unsure if we can be reassured” that consumers in affected areas were not being exposed to high levels of manganese in drinking water on an ongoing basis.

It told Uisce Éireann that if such exposure was ongoing, its immediate recommendation was a ‘Do Not Consume notice’ for the affected area.

Mr Martin said he believed Uicse Éireann had questions to answer, adding: “I think it’s a very serious development.

“It’s quite shocking that the levels would be that high, and if known about. the public should be made aware of it, of course.

“I’m disturbed, and indeed we need explanations in the first instance as to why the public were not alerted to this.”

The EU Drinking Water (2023) Regulations allow a maximum of 50 microgrammes per litre (µg/L).

However, on March 3, manganese levels of 193µg/L were recorded at Richmond Tce, off Gardiner’s Hill, from a water supply potentially affecting 86,738 people in Cork City.

Above the levels of 50µg/L, water can appear discoloured, giving a metallic taste and staining laundry, but the HSE cautioned Uisce Éireann on its claims that clear water was safe to consume from a manganese perspective.

Uisce Éireann “must understand that the HSE’s health advice is not based on the subjectivity of whether water is discoloured or not, but on evidence-based manganese concentration levels in drinking water in relation to health”, the HSE said.

Mr Martin said the HSE’s warnings to Uisce Éireann were “quite shocking”.

“It’s a very serious issue, and we will engage with the HSE on this, and with Irish Water,” the Taoiseach said.

Asked whether he had confidence in Uisce Éireann, Mr Martin said he was focusing on the issue at hand.

“I think the HSE’s warnings are quite shocking, and certainly there are questions to be answered, of course,” he said.

Offered a right to reply to the Taoiseach’s comments, a spokesperson for Uisce Éireann referred The Echo to a statement it had issued on Wednesday in response to our initial queries.

“All exceedances are reported by Uisce Éireann to both the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] and HSE, who provide regulatory oversight and health-based advice, respectively,” the statement said.

“Through our engagement and meetings with the EPA and HSE, areas in which improvements could be made were identified.

“One of these was communications surrounding exceedances,” the statement added.