Industries, especially rural food processing industries, such as creameries and meat factories have their own water supply often from groundwater. Groundwater abstractions are estimated as 105,000,000 m3/yr. (Callery 1988). This represents only about 3% of estimated annual recharge, so there are vast groundwater resources available and unused at present. In rural areas not served by public or group schemes, groundwater is usually the only source of supply. Geoff Wright (G.S.I.) (1) suggests, based on limited samples, extrapolations and estimates, the total number of wells in the country is likely to be at least 200,000 and could be considerably more.

The utilisation of groundwater in Ireland is far less than other E.C. countries where groundwater supplies account for 60% to 99% of drinking water in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands and Portugal.Wright (G.S.I.)

(1), estimates there are some 50 Well drilling Companies/Sole Traders operating in the Republic. In 1975 it was estimated that some 5,000 new wells were drilled each year. This approximate rate of drilling has persisted with some fluctuations for the past 20 to 25 years. This implies that some 100,000 to 125,000 new wells have been drilled over that period. This would represent two wells per week or 100 per year drilled by each firm.Currently in Ireland there are no statutory regulations or comprehensive guidelines concerning the drilling industry and groundwater abstraction in Ireland. Consequently there are inconsistent standards of construction and decommissioning of boreholes. In contrast, other countries require prior permission for the drilling of boreholes, specific standards of construction to be adhered to and licensing of well drillers. The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.)

(2) Millennium Report, April 2000 stated that over one third of the groundwater samples subjected to bacteriological examination tested positive for the presence of faecal coliforms indicating contamination with sewage or similar wastes. A high incidence of faecal coliform contamination in samples from private water supply schemes was also recorded. These findings have serious implications for the use of groundwater as sources of potable drinking water.The poor quality of rural groundwater supplies in Ireland demonstrates that there is a need for a standard to regulate the drilling, construction, testing and decommissioning of boreholes and wells. There needs to be a sustainable approach aimed at improving the design, drilling and abstraction of the water source and reducing the need for end-of-pipe solutions. In addition, the E.U. Water Framework Directive, October 2000, requires member states to manage and protect their groundwater resources in a comprehensive manner. The main objective is to prevent the deterioration of groundwater status, and to ensure a balance between abstraction and recharge of groundwater with the aim of achieving good groundwater status. Acknowledgements:

(1) Geoff Wright, Geological Survey of Ireland, G.S.I. Groundwater Newsletter no. 35 May 1999.

(2) Environmental Protection Agency, E.P.A., 2000, Treatment Systems for Single Houses