RTÉ Radio Investigative Unit - Dirty Water: Tipperary

Twenty years ago North Tipperary County Council believed they had solved their waste disposal problems when they bought an old gravel quarry in Ballaghveny outside Nenagh. Since then the drinking water wells of several neighbouring houses have become contaminated. Despite sealing the dumps our testing established that water from the wells is still unfit for human consumption.

The concerns of other residents in the area were heightened recently when rips were seen in the lining of the landfill. The rip photographed here is about two and a half feet in length. Ground springs could be seen bubbling up under the rips and fears were expressed that toxic leachate from the dump was mixing with the underground water system.

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