Environmental Laboratory

In 1977 the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act was introduced. This was amended by the Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Act, 1990. This legislation gave primary responsibility to Local Authority's to protect the water environment.

In response to this legislation Roscommon County Council established its environmental laboratory in 1982. Initially the laboratory carried out water quality monitoring of the rivers and lakes in the county. Compliance monitoring of industrial effluents and the County Council wastewater treatment plants also began at this time.

In 1998 the laboratory was expanded to cater for the monitoring requirements of the Lough Derg & Ree Catchment Monitoring & Management System project. Since the completion of the project the Lough Derg/Ree laboratory has continued monitoring rivers for nine Local Authorities on an agency basis.

In 1999, Roscommon County Council in conjunction with the Department of the Environment and Local Government, Dublin Corporation and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes formed a steering committee to carry out a Rural Water Monitoring Project.PDF (size 2.5 MB) in Roscommon. Central to the project was the expansion of the laboratory to undertake drinking water monitoring. Initially drinking water monitoring was only carried out on group schemes, but in 2001 this was expanded to include public water supplies.

Location:
Old Infirmary,
County Library Building,
Roscommon County Council
Roscommon.
Contact person: Environmental Technician.
Telephone: 090 6637267
E-mail: jogorman@roscommoncoco.ie.