Farmers across Waterford are being urged to take care when spraying crops.
It’s after the pesticide, Glyphosate, was detected in the Villierstown water supply in December.
Brian O’Leary, the Irish Water Regional Operations Lead for County Waterford says there’s no major risk posed to public health.
Irish Water, working in partnership with the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group, is appealing to farmers and other users of pesticides to follow the guidelines when applying these substances to their lands.
In Co. Waterford, exceedances for the pesticide Glyphosate were noted in the Villierstown supply in December. While there is no threat to public health, it is imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when spraying their lands.
Glyphosate is used mainly for the control of broad-based leaves and is found in a number of weed killer formulations used by gardeners and growers.
Irish Water working in partnership with the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group would like to remind farmers and professional users of pesticides to follow best practice in the application of pesticides on land, particularly near lakes and rivers used as drinking water sources.
The basic steps in reducing pesticide risks are as follows:
Choose the right pesticide product
Read and follow the product label
Determine the right amount to purchase and use
Don’t spray if rain or strong wind is forecast in the next 48 hours
Make sure you are aware of the location of all nearby water courses
Comply with any buffer zone specified on the product label to protect the aquatic environment. Mark out the specified buffer zone from the edge of the river or lake or other water course
Never fill a sprayer directly from a water course or carry out mixing, loading or other handling operations beside a water course
Avoid spills, stay well back from open drains and rinse empty containers 3 times into the sprayer
Store and dispose of pesticides and their containers properly
Information leaflets on pesticide use are also available to download from the Teagasc website at www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/fodder-crops/.
