Galway County Council has denied that drinking-water supplies in the Connemara village of Carraroe have been contaminated by sewage.Mr Tom Kavanagh, county secretary, said that sampling carried out in the village last week by the local authority showed that the water supply was of good quality and fit for human consumption.
However, Mr Seosamh Ó Cuaig, member of Údarás na Gaeltachta and representative of Coiste Uisce na Ceathrún, has called for an independent investigation into the water supply.
Mr Kavanagh said that sampling was conducted last week after media reports alleged that the water in the village was contaminated, and that residents were having to travel to Rossaveal and Spiddal for drinking water supplies.
Treated water was sampled at taps in four different locations and analysed at the microbiology laboratory at University College Hospital, Galway, he said.
The results showed zero total coliforms and zero faecal coliforms in all four samples.
Mr Kavanagh said drinking water was tested regularly by both the local authority and the Western Health Board, and sampling results for Carraroe for the last two years showed that the quality complied with regulations.
Mr Kavanagh said that works had been carried out in Carraroe, including remediation of pipes, and the village was earmarked for new public water and sewerage schemes under the Government's Water Services Investment Programme 2003-2005.
Mr Ó Cuaig said that the local action committee would have to accept the results as given, but there was more to quality of water than e-coli.
The European Parliament's petitions committee's report last year noted that plans by Galway County Council to deal with the problem in Carraroe had "gone from one delay to the next".