The European Council has adopted a regulation restricting the use of phosphates and other phosphorus compounds in consumer laundry and automatic dishwasher detergents in order to reduce the level of phosphorus poured into the waters.

The limit value for consumer laundry detergents is set at 0.5 grams of phosphorus per washing process in a standard washing machine. It will be applicable as from 30 June 2013. In addition to domestic detergents, the scope of the regulation also includes detergents used in public laundrettes.

The limit value for consumer automatic dishwasher detergents is set at 0.3 grams of phosphorus in a standard dosage. It will be applicable as from 1 January 2017.

This limit will have to be confirmed before that date by means of a thorough assessment in the light of the most recent scientific data and taking into account available alternatives to the use of phosphates. The deferred application of the restrictions is intended to give producers (in particular small and medium-sized enterprises) enough time to reformulate their phosphate-based detergents with more ecological alternatives.

The new regulation will modify regulation 648/2004, which harmonised the labelling of detergents and the biodegradability of certain substances they contain. It will also improve the free movement of detergents in the internal market by harmonising existing different national rules concerning their phosphate content.

In the absence of EU legislation, some countries had taken national measures restricting the use of phosphates in detergents. Others had relied on voluntary action by industry to replace phosphates. Imports of detergents from third countries into the EU are insignificant.

Phosphates and other phosphorous compounds are used in detergents to reduce water hardness and allow detergents to perform efficiently. However, they can damage the aquatic environment and disturb the ecological balance by increasing the proliferation of algae, a phenomenon called eutrophication. Eutrophication is currently monitored under the ‘water framework directive’.

Improvements in water quality in the EU could be at risk from new forms of chemical pollution. The European Commission is proposing to add 15 chemicals to the list of 33 pollutants that are monitored and controlled in EU surface waters. This is another step towards improving the quality of our river, lake and coastal waters. The 15 substances include industrial chemicals as well as substances used in biocides, pharmaceuticals and plant protection products. They have been selected on the basis of scientific evidence that they may pose a significant risk to health.

The update will be achieved through a revision of the Directive on priority substances in the field of water quality. The newly proposed substances are the outcome of a review that considered the risks posed by some 2000 substances according to their levels in surface waters, and their hazardousness, production and use. For six of the 15 new priority substances the classification proposed would require their emissions to water to be phased out within 20 years. The proposal also includes stricter standards for four currently controlled substances, and a requirement to phase out the emissions of two others already on the list.

The proposed 15 additional priority substances are:

* Plant protection product substances: Aclonifen, Bifenox, Cypermethrin, Dicofol, Heptachlor, Quinoxyfen;

* Substances used in biocidal products: Cybutryne, Dichlorvos, Terbutryn;

* Industrial chemicals: Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD);

* Combustion by-products: Dioxin and Dioxin-Like PCBs;

* Pharmaceutical substances: 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 17 beta-estradiol (E2), Diclofenac.

Pharmaceuticals are proposed for the first time. The proposal does not put into question the medicinal value of these substances, but addresses the potential harmful effects of their presence in the aquatic environment. Concentrations above the proposed standards can affect fish health, reducing successful reproduction, for example, and harming other living organisms. Awareness of the impact of pharmaceuticals in the environment has grown considerably in recent years, and the proposal is based on the latest scientific knowledge.

The Commission also proposes improvements to the monitoring and reporting of chemical pollutants in water, as well as a mechanism to obtain better information on the concentrations of other pollutants that might need to be controlled in the future at EU level. The Commission proposal is accompanied by a report to the European Parliament and Council on the outcome of the review of the existing list of controlled substances.

The Commission is proposing the revised list as part of a Directive amending the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Environmental Quality Standards Directive (EQSD). The proposal will pass to the Council and the Parliament for discussion and adoption.

As a rule, Member States must meet environmental quality standards for new Priority Substances by 2021 (the deadline of the 2nd River Basin Management Plan). Longer timelines are possible in specific cases if the conditions for exemptions set out in the WFD are applicable.

The positive downward trend in E.coli in drinking water in recent years continued in 2010, according to a new report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For the first time, large public drinking water supplies in Ireland show similar compliance levels for E.coli to similar supplies in England and Wales, and the Netherlands. These large supplies provide drinking water to almost three million people in Ireland.

Dara Lynott, deputy director general of EPA, comments: “Remedial works targeted by the EPA in 2008 will be complete in over 80 per cent of supplies by the end of this year. We will continue to target any water supplies that do not meet the highest standards. Ensuring that our drinking water is of the highest quality is vital for public health, for our food industry, for tourism, and for inward investment.”

This is the EPA’s fourth report on drinking water quality since new regulations were introduced in 2007 providing for a greater level of consumer protection. Where there is a potential danger to human health in a drinking water supply, local authorities are required by the regulations to consult with the Health Service Executive (HSE) and notify the EPA. Local authorities are also required to comply with directions given by the EPA.

Safety of Supply

Almost 250,000 monitoring tests against national and EU standards are carried out to assess the safety of Irish drinking water annually. In relation to the safety of our drinking water, this comprehensive testing regime shows:

* E. coli was detected at least once in 20 out of 929 public water supplies during compliance monitoring in 2010. This figure is down from 27 in 2009 and has fallen every year since 2004.

* 12 per cent of private group water schemes were contaminated at least once during 2010. However, the number of private group water schemes where E. coli was detected fell from 87 in 2009 to 56 in 2010.

* Overall compliance with the chemical standards remained the same at 99 per cent in 2010.

* Trihalomethanes (THM) compliance remains a priority enforcement area for the EPA and exceedences dropped by almost 3 per cent in 2010.

Security of Supply

The EPA identified 339 supplies in need of remedial action in early 2008 and placed them on a Remedial Action List or RAL. 49 per cent (166) have been removed as the necessary remedial actions have been completed. However, a further 67 new supplies were added to the list since 2008. By the end of the year, just over 100 supplies will require the completion of outstanding remedial works to enable them to be removed from the Remedial Action List.

Dara Lynott, deputy director general of EPA.

The largest treatment plants on the RAL supply water to over 500,000 persons. These plants are the Vartry Reservoir (supplying parts of Dublin and North Wicklow), Lee Road (supplying Cork City) and Staleen (supplying East Meath and Drogheda). Significant investment will be required to complete the remedial actions specified.

43 new boil water notices and 7 new water restrictions notices (serving approximately 65,000 persons) were put in place by 16 Water Services Authorities in 2010. Adverse weather conditions (freezing) in December 2010 alone led to the imposition of boil water notices on 6 public water supplies (serving approximately 21,000 persons). There was also an increase in the number of precautionary boil water notices put in place while various works on public water supplies were underway.

Nine legally binding directions were issued by the EPA to 7 local authorities in 2010. Galway City Council completed the first Water Safety Plan in Ireland in 2010.

Communication to the Public

The EPA’s assessment found that just over half of the local authorities (19) published some or all of their drinking water quality data. Mayo and Kerry County Councils were found to be providing adequate quality information on their drinking water supplies to the public. The posting of up-to-date monitoring results by local authorities on their websites is important as it allows consumers to gain timely access to information on the quality of their drinking water and reduce public exposure to health risks.

Gerard O’Leary, programme manager at EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, says: “The public is entitled to know about the quality of their drinking water, which is a matter of public health. The downward trends with problems we are reporting here are very encouraging and those downward trends will continue. Whilst we are very good at monitoring standards of drinking water here in Ireland, all local authorities must continue not only to improve the quality of water but also to become better at providing information to consumers.”

The quality of Ireland’s bathing waters remains high, with 97% of designated bathing areas meeting the EU mandatory standards, and classed as being of ‘sufficient’ water quality status, according to the EPA’s recent report ‘The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland – An Overview for the Year 2010’. In addition, 90% of bathing waters meet higher guideline standards and are classified as ‘good’ status. This is an 8% increase compared to the previous bathing season.

“There has been an overall improvement in bathing water quality in Ireland in the 2010 season. While some of this is attributable to the dry summer of 2010, the EPA is confident that measures taken to implement the Water Framework Directive – including licensing of Urban Waste Water Treatment Plants by the EPA – are playing their part in making those improvements,” comments Dr Mary Kelly, director general of EPA. “However, stricter standards for bathing water will be introduced under legislation, which means that greater effort will be needed to ensure that our bathing waters are clean, and fit for the people of Ireland to swim in.”

Building on its successful relationship with Northern Ireland Water, WYG has won a contract to help improve water quality for residents of east Belfast. The Leeds-based consultancy will be designing, managing and co-ordinating construction design management on a new £750,000 project to reduce out-of-sewer spills to water courses. This project forms part of a larger eight year framework.

For over seven years, WYG has been managing Northern Ireland Water’s Integrated Wastewater Framework which is designed to reduce the risk of flooding and improve water quality for the eastern region of Northern Ireland.

“Since the project is located centrally in the Connswater Greenway scheme, the design and construction work will be undertaken considerately to its surroundings. The Greenway will create a 9km linear park through east Belfast, following the course of the Connswater, Knock and Loop Rivers, which makes the location environmentally sensitive,” comments Ernie Spence, associate of WYG. “Throughout the project we will be focused on alleviating disturbance to the surroundings, working in a sustainable manner through the design and construction phases. Our design involves converting concepts developed using hydraulic modelling into buildable solutions, whilst minimising environmental impact and providing value for money.”

Northern Ireland has inherited a legacy of acute underinvestment in water and sewerage systems, which has led to significant disparity when compared with the rest of the UK’s water industry, in particular in the areas of out of sewer flooding and water mains leakage. However, last year saw some £778m being invested in water and wastewater infrastructure – £174m in water treatment and storage facilities and mains improvement and £614m in wastewater collection and treatment systems.

WYG will be replacing a combined sewer overflow chamber, associated pipework and outfall structures. The project is anticipated to be completed in December 2011.

The world’s urban and industrial water use is projected to double by 2050, yet one fifth of the world’s population, or some 1.2 billion people, already lives in areas of water scarcity. One of the best ways to stretch our planet’s dwindling supply of available water is through increased reuse and recycling, yet progress in these areas has been limited for a host of economic, political and social reasons.

One major stumbling block is a lack of effective incentives, according to a new white paper to be issued by GE. The paper describes the multifaceted nature of the problem and highlights various incentive policies and structures from around the world to illustrate those which have been effective in encouraging water reuse and recycling. GE will present the white paper at its Water Summit, From Used to Useful — Middle East, taking place on April 5-6 in Saudi Arabia.

“Our goal is to stimulate action to preserve fresh water supplies,” says Heiner Markhoff, president and chief executive of water and process technologies for GE Power & Water. “Cost-effective technologies already exist to solve virtually all water challenges, thus the focus needs to be placed on the human side of the equation. In that regard we see four main approaches: increased education and outreach so that people can see the need and the benefits; removal of bureaucratic and other barriers; effective use of mandates and regulations; and establishment of effective incentives, which is the focus of our latest white paper.”

GE’s ‘Creating Effective Incentives for Water Reuse and Recycling’ white paper discusses four possible policy options: water pricing/discharge fees, water quality and demand trading, tax financing/public grants and public-private partnerships. It says that regardless of the incentive type, experience shows that incentives are most effective when implemented within a regulatory structure that already exists and functions well. For example, Singapore’s goal is to use reclaimed water as a key part of its water supply. The island city-state merged several governmental units into a centralised Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, and it has been a major factor in helping the country realise a 30% water reuse rate.

Some of the specific incentive structures and approaches detailed in the white paper include:

* Water pricing/discharge fees: Raising the price of water is not always an option, but sometimes it can be used to reflect water scarcity or to incorporate external environmental costs. New York City offers one example where a reduction in the price for water, based on the volume consumed, can drive reuse. Buildings with a comprehensive water reuse system (CWRS) that meet water-usage targets are granted a 25% rate reduction on water and sewer charges, which can amount to millions of dollars in reduced operating costs for large users. A CWRS building captures, treats and recycles sanitary wastewater or wastewater from showers, clothes washers, etc.

* Water quality and demand trading: Water quality trading programs allow firms with high pollution-abatement costs to purchase pollution reduction credits from other firms or sources with lower abatement costs. Similar programs can be implemented with respect to water demand. For example, when a drought in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin in the 1980s reduced farmers’ water entitlements to 10-20% of normal, many quickly opted to trade the limited water allocations they received rather than attempt to plant a crop with insufficient resources.

* Tax financing/public grants: Governments can help improve the economics of investments in water reuse via incentives and financing using various tax credits, exemptions and grants. Noting the significant growth in the renewable energy sector over the past several years driven by production tax credit/investment tax credit programs, the white paper discusses in detail the many parallels and opportunities in the water sector.

* Public-private partnerships: Public water utilities still provide most water and wastewater services worldwide, but public-private partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly viewed as an effective means of stimulating investment in water reuse infrastructure. The number of people served by private companies grew from 51 million people in 1990 to nearly 300 million by 2002. Especially in areas such as the arid western United States, where new communities are cropping up in areas where basic water infrastructure does not yet exist, private operators often can provide the type of decentralized, ad hoc solutions necessary to meet such demand.

The latest report on water quality in Ireland by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found evidence of improvements in water quality in Ireland. However, continued actions across a range of sectors are needed if Ireland is to achieve its European water quality obligations.

The report, ‘Water Quality in Ireland 2007 – 2009’, is a comprehensive review which covers 13,118 km of river and stream channel (1,700 rivers), 222 lakes, 89 estuarine and coastal water bodies and 211 groundwater monitoring stations.

Rivers

In rivers, 70% of channel is in good condition, but measures are needed to restore the quality of the 30% that was found to be polluted. The number of seriously polluted river sites was down to 20 – half that seen in 2004-2006. Increased investment in wastewater treatment has helped to eliminate some of this serious pollution. The number of fish kills was significantly down on previous periods, with 72 incidents reported in 2007-2009, compared with 120 incidents in the previous three year period.

Lakes

Lakes are generally in good condition with over 90% of lake area in satisfactory condition, but 25 lakes were still in poor or bad status – mainly due to excess phosphates causing algal blooms.

Estuaries

Of the estuaries assessed, 85% were unpolluted, while 15% were classed as eutrophic or potentially eutrophic. In terms of area, approximately 5% of tidal areas was polluted. Some significant improvements were noted where new wastewater treatment plants had been installed recently – such as Sligo and the Garavogue estuary.

Groundwaters

Monitoring of groundwaters showed a significant drop in the overall concentration of phosphates and nitrates during the period – 85% of groundwaters were in satisfactory condition – but there was an upward trend in the detection of faecal coliforms – apparently due to increased rainfall in the period.

Micheal O Cinneide, director, EPA Office of Environmental Assessment, comments: “In comparison with other EU member States, Ireland has better than average water quality. While there is evidence of an overall improvement in water quality in Ireland, further actions are essential if we are to achieve our water quality targets for 2015 and 2021 as required by the Water Framework Directive. The EPA will work with the network of local authorities, with sectoral groups and other agencies in tackling the water quality challenges.”

A key development in the last three years has been the publication of the River Basin Management Plans, including the setting of objectives for water bodies and the selection of Programmes of Measures to meet the objectives of the Water Framework Directive.

The principal and most widespread cause of water pollution in Ireland is nutrient enrichment resulting in the eutrophication of rivers, lakes and tidal waters from agricultural run-off and discharges from municipal waste treatment plants. Following the enactment of the Waste Water Discharges Regulations 2007, the EPA set up a licensing and certification regime for municipal waste water discharges, to reduce the pollution of waters by placing strict conditions on the quality of waste water discharges. The latest EPA survey shows that the investments under the Water Services programme have led to improvements in water quality.

According to Martin McGarrigle, who has a lead role in the Aquatic Environment monitoring programme in the Environmental Protection Agency: “The three challenges for water quality management are firstly, eliminating serious pollution associated with point sources, that is wastewater treatment plants; secondly, tackling diffuse pollution, meaning pollution from farming and septic tanks; and thirdly using the full range of legislative measures in an integrated way to achieve better water quality.”

Overall, 85% of groundwater bodies were of good status in accordance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD) process. Pollution of groundwater has decreased somewhat in this period with reductions in nitrate and phosphate concentrations. While the above average rainfall has played a role, it is likely that implementation of the Good Agricultural Practices Regulations and, in particular, the increase in farm storage for manure and slurry, and the reduced usage of inorganic fertilizers have been beneficial.

Donal Daly, head of the Groundwater programme in EPA, says: “Further improvements in groundwater quality are required for both environmental and public health reasons. Key measures should include the optimal application by farmers of organic and inorganic fertilizers at times and in a manner that minimises leaching, and householders ensuring that their on-site wastewater treatment systems, such as septic tanks, are located, constructed and maintained properly.”

The total Government funding available for this year’s Rural Water Programme is €85 million. Capital block grant allocations of over €71 million are available to County Councils in order to bring rural water schemes up to standard and to complete any remaining schemes in the Rural Water Action Plan this year.

The €71.5 million allocation provides:

* over €45 million for measures to improve water quality in group schemes with private sources, such as rivers, lakes and boreholes;

* €11.35 million for upgrading of existing schemes and for new group water schemes;

* €15 million for improvements to smaller public water and sewerage schemes.

Of the €45m earmarked for group schemes with private sources:

* €30.8 million will be spent in connection with new water treatment facilities;

* €14.3 million will be invested in connecting group schemes to public water supplies and on takeover of schemes by local authorities and for minor works to group schemes awaiting substantial improvements.

The €15 million for small public water and sewerage schemes will allow local authorities to carry out works to help ensure compliance with drinking water quality standards, improve environmental compliance and support economic development in rural areas.

Local authorities had been given powers under the Drinking Water Regulations and the 2007 Water Services Act to take decisive action against schemes that are not compliant with drinking water standards.

The Government has also announced that it will increase the maximum grant per house applying to new group schemes for 2011. The Government funds 85% of the cost of such schemes, subject to a maximum grant per house of €6,475. This limit is being increased to €7,475 with effect from 1 March 2011, for any new schemes commencing in 2011 to be funded from the 2011 allocation.

There has been a 50% reduction in the detection of E.coli in Irish public drinking water in the last two years, according to a new report by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is the EPA’s third report on drinking water quality since new regulations were introduced in 2007 providing for a greater level of consumer protection.

The regulations require all local authorities to notify the EPA where there is a potential risk to human health, and to comply with directions given by the EPA.

Dara Lynott, director, EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement.

Commenting on the report Dara Lynott, director, EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement, says: “The EPA targeted a reduction in the detection of E.coli in drinking water in recent years and today we are seeing the success of this programme with a 50% reduction in two years. Despite this reduction investment needs to be maintained to bring detection levels in line with other EU countries.”

Safety of Supply

Almost 250,000 monitoring tests against national and EU standards are carried out on the safety of our drinking water annually. In relation to the safety of our drinking water, this comprehensive testing regime shows:

* E. coli was detected at least once in 27 out of 944 public water supplies in 2009. This figure is down from 39 in the previous year (2008).

* The number of private group water schemes where E. coli was detected dropped from 134 in 2008 to 87 in 2009.  However, despite this improvement, 17% of private group water schemes were contaminated at least once during 2009.

* Overall compliance with the chemical standards was at 99.2% in 2009. This is a drop from 99.5% in 2008 because of poorer compliance with the new trihalomethanes standard.

* Compliance with some indicator parameters, in particular compliance with aluminium and turbidity parametric values, remains an area for improvement.

Security of Supply

In relation to the security of water supplies (that is, the management of the risks from the source water, through the drinking water treatment plant and supply network to our taps):

* The EPA had identified 339 supplies in need of remedial action in early 2008 and placed them on a Remedial Action List.  Of those, 42 per cent (142) have been removed as the necessary remedial actions have been completed. This includes the public water supplies in Limerick, Galway and Waterford cities which were upgraded in recent years.

* At the end of 2010 there were 264 supplies on the EPA’s Remedial Action List. This includes 67 new supplies added to the list since it was first published in 2008.

* Boil water notices or restrictions of use were put in place on 53 supplies serving approximately 93,000 persons in 2009. Adverse weather conditions in November 2009 alone led to the imposition of boil water notices on 10 public water supplies.

* 44 legally binding directions were issued by the EPA to 16 local authorities in 2008 and 28 legally binding directions to nine local authorities in 2009.

Gerard O’Leary, programme manager, EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement, says: “The focused investment in water treatment plants at risk of failing to meet drinking water standards has brought about much needed improvements to our drinking water infrastructure. An additional 500,000 people are now served by supplies that have been removed from our Remedial Action List.”

The European Commission is proposing to ban the use of phosphates and phosphorous compounds in laundry detergents. Phosphates from detergents are one of the main sources of ‘red tides’ and ‘green tides’ of algae bloom and seriously affect water quality, both in rivers and at sea. Getting rid of phosphates is difficult – they have to be removed in waste-water treatment plants at huge expense.

An EU Regulation would mark the end of voluntary or ineffective measures by some countries, with neighbouring countries having to suffer the consequences.

“Our proposal to ban phosphates in laundry detergents will give European citizens better water quality in their lakes, rivers and marine waters while keeping European companies at the forefront of this sector. The Commission will keep under review industry’s progress in the development of viable alternatives for automatic dishwasher detergents through innovation,” says European Commission vice-president Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship.

The draft Regulation does not affect detergents for automatic dishwashers or those used by professionals as technically and economically feasible alternatives are not yet available throughout the EU. However, Member States can regulate the phosphate content of these detergents in specific circumstances.

Clare County Council has confirmed that the final completion of a €5 million Water Scheme contract will be required to provide a long term resolution to the water quality issues experienced in the Ballyvaughan area. Two Boil Notices have already been issued this year.

According to Hugh McGrath, a senior engineer with the Water Services Section of Clare County Council, the new scheme will deliver the required improvements to the quality of water being supplied to consumers in the area.

“While a degree of reluctance has been expressed by a small number of consumers to embrace the new regional supply, the current issues in Ballyvaughan demonstrate clearly the imperative need for connection to the regional scheme. From the Council’s perspective, as the water authority, we are extremely concerned about these incidents, and are most anxious to get the regional supply connected as soon as possible,” he explains. “We expect this to happen by the end of 2010.”

The EPA has launched its new Environment in Focus site. The environmental indicators’ website allows easier public access to environmental data that has been gathered by the EPA and external bodies. Information is presented as a dashboard of key environmental indicators arranged under seven themes – climate change, air, water, waste, land, nature and socio-economics.

Dr Mary Kelly.

“Environment in Focus has been designed to provide concise, up-to-date information about the Irish environment for the general public and policy makers. Presented in an accessible format this website is a clear advance on paper-based indicator reporting,” says Dr Mary Kelly, director general of EPA: “It allows the EPA to fulfil certain EU reporting obligations in close to real-time while providing environmental assessments to stakeholders in a format that is useable for them.”

The website is the culmination of extensive collaboration between EPA staff and external organisations in compiling key datasets on the Irish environment.

Dr Kelly continues: “The indicators demonstrate that Ireland faces particular challenges in meeting international obligations in relation to climate change, water quality, biodiversity protection and waste management. These indicators should provide valuable information for policy makers both in developing new policies and in evaluating existing ones. We also hope that they will allow for a more informed wider debate on the steps required to protect Ireland’s environment.”

Access Environment in Focus on the EPA website by going to www.epa.ie/environment/environmentinfocus/.