Baltinglass Well High uranium levels found
It is understood Wicklow County Council was informed of the high levels back in early October, but it was only yesterday when the well supplying the water was shut down.
Householders in parts of County Wicklow are to be provided with water from tankers. Up to 200 homes in the Baltinglass area of County Wicklow have been affected.
The supply was shut off by the local authority on the recommendation of the South Western Area Health Board after a nationwide water testing programme by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The testing programme confirmed very high levels of Uranium 238 in the Lathaleere well.
Although there is no international or European standard, the WHO guideline for uranium in water is 2 micrograms/litre. The levels found in Wicklow were on average 130 micrograms/litre.
Uranium 238 is a naturally occurring form of the radioactive metal which decays to release radon gas. It is believed it entered the water supply through dissolved rock.
The Director of Health with the Eastern Regional Health Authority said people had been exposed to the levels of uranium for many years and it had not caused identifiable health problems.
In the Dáil today the Minister for Defence Michael Smith said the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Radiological Protection Institute, were working on the problem with the County Council.
