AN emergency tap set up last Wednesday to supply Galway residents whose water contained dangerous levels of lead is itself contaminated with lead four times over the acceptable limit.

Galway city council, which had assured the 1,000 people living in Mervue the water was safe, does not understand how it came to be contaminated. Taps were tested before the supply began on Wednesday and did not show a problem.

The council shut off the emergency supply immediately after it received the results on Friday evening. Water tankers have now been brought in to supply homes in the area.

Councillors in Galway say people have lost all trust in the council. Last year hundreds fell ill from an outbreak of cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes severe diarrhoea, in the city’s drinking supply.

“People are bewildered and upset by this,” said Catherine Connolly, an independent councillor. “It’s quite clear council management are out of their depth and we need the Department of the Environment to intervene.”

Councillors spent five hours on Friday night discussing a plan of action with officials. Five areas in Galway have been identified as “at risk” of having high levels of lead in tap water due to lead piping in homes built prior to 1970. So far 12 homes have shown lead levels over the 25 micrograms per litre limit.

An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report in 2005 found that seven of 28 samples from Galway exceeded limits on lead due to lead pipework.

The EPA has directed the local authority to prepare a programme to eliminate the unsafe lead levels. It has to provide a plan by October 15 and has been warned that failure to do so is an offence.

Overexposure to lead can damage the nervous and reproductive systems and kidneys. A number of residents are awaiting the results of blood tests that will reveal if they have been affected.

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