Irish Water has been given 11 weeks to decide how it will plead to failing to implement a plan to improve drinking water quality in Carraroe in Co. Galway. writes Tom Tuite.

The company is being prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The case was listed before Judge John O’Neill yesterday/today (MON) at Dublin District Court where an adjournment was granted.

A solicitor for the EPA told the court that there was consent to the case being put back to September.

At the next appearance it will be listed for a plea to be entered or for a hearing date to be fixed if the case is contested, Judge John O’Neill ordered.

The water utility company is charged under EU (drinking water) regulations that between Dec.1, 2015 and Jan. 8 last it failed to comply with a directive issue by the EPA to implement an action programme approved by the agency for the improvement of the quality of water for human consumption from Carraroe public water supply, to react to parametric values specified for trihalomethanes (THMS).

It is alleged that the action plan had been approved by the environmental watchdog agency on Sept. 9, 2014. Irish Water has not yet indicated how it will plead to the charge.

Last month a solicitor for the EPA said that they would be providing disclosure of evidence to Irish Water.

THMs are a group of organic chemicals formed when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in raw water before it is filtered. Earlier this year residents in the Connemara village Carraroe received boil water notices.