The European Court of Justice has ruled that specific compounds in Irish drinking water exceeds EU safety levels.
Ireland’s failed to meet its obligations under the EU’s rules on drinking water. The chemical compounds trihalomethanes which are found in drinking water, are at an unsafe level.
THMs are found in water treatment systems that use chlorine to remove bacteria and contaminants and are harmful to humans and the environment.
The European Commission has said it had failed to adopt the necessary measures to be in compliance with the directive and that Ireland had failed to restore the quality of drinking water “as quickly as possible“.
The ECJ said in January 2014 Uisce Eireann was tasked with ensuring the quality of drinking water met EU standards on the quality of water intended for human consumption.
On Thursday, the ECJ stated that defining how it implemented the directive within its own legal system was permitted, it still had an obligation to respect all its provisions.
The ECJ said Ireland could not “fully justify” the existence of a persistent failure to fulfil its obligations.
Ireland’s failed to contest facts alleged by the commission and the EC, based on the information provided “sufficient evidence to support Ireland’s alleged breach“.
The ECJ therefore ruled a failure to fulfil its obligations under Article 4 of the safe drinking water directive.
