YMCA Middle class School Model United Nations

SECURITY COUNCIL

Sponsor: Ireland

Signatories: Poland, United Kingdom, Sweden

Committee:
Contaminated and Un-safe Drinking Water Problems in Ireland

To the General Assembly:

Aware of the fact that Ireland has an unacceptably high number of drinking-water supplies which
are unsafe for 400,000 people due to chemicals in water. It was reported by the European
commissions at the start of 2016,

Noting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Remedial action list has about 119
public water systems which are exposed to chemicals called Trihalomethanes(THM) exceeding
the value of 100 μg for total trihalomethanes (THMs). The THMs are linked to cancer, birth
defects and other life threatening diseases,

Declaring that reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that Ireland has
the highest non-compliance with respect to total THMs in drinking water across the 27 European
Union EU Member States,

Alarmed that excess of the chemicals linked to cancer has been present in many public water
supplies for years,

Deeply concerned that the effects of consuming this water and other exposure such as steam in
the air and skin exposure, can result in increased risk of cancer,

Stresses that this may finally result in a complete loss of quality water supply,

Recognizing the increase in chemicals is due to the mixture of organic matter such as leaves and
current doses of chlorine used to improve the water quality,

Concerned by the fact that local authorities have provided an initial assessment that reducing the
level of THM in water as per European Union (EU) and World Health Organization (WHO)
guidelines may result in drinking water not affordable for common people in future,
Emphasizing the importance of access to affordable, clean drinking water and protecting public
health as an integral part of humanity,

The Delegation of Ireland hereby:

1. Recommends short-term, medium-term and long-term measures to improve water

quality. This includes investing in water infrastructure, introducing appropriate treatment
technology, upgrading its chlorine dosing systems, filtration systems, in-tank aerations
for all 856 water treatment plants in the country, and aims to reduce the amount of
organic matter that causes the chemicals in water systems;

2. Plans to conduct a regular flushing of pipelines and reservoirs to avoid standing

chlorinated water to develop THM;

3. Authorizes to conduct a national awareness campaign to let people know of the plans to
reduce THM levels in water;

4. Considers that the management and treatment of water supplies is very complex due to
the variation is supply types, ownership, distribution and water sources;

5. Regrets that there has been a lack of investment in water infrastructure over many years;

6. Emphasizes that the current measures and action plans proposed have reduced focus on
engineering and are more focused on protecting water sources and its distribution free of
THMs and other chemicals to ultimately provide safe water to people across the country;

7. Accept that the above action plan will be completely executed by the deadline of 2021;

8. Confirms that Ireland and its businesses will invest €2 billion in improving quality of
drinking water till 2021, which includes €327 million in reducing THMs;

9. Has resolved partially notifying affected people, by improving their Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) site with a list of “at risk” water supplies and high level actions
to improve water quality;

10. Requests countries who have experienced and solved this problem for a team of
compliance experts and scientists to provide advice on the ongoing water quality issues in
Ireland;

11. Seeking financial support by requesting a loan of €150 million from the UN Water
Programme to improve water quality by reducing THMs and research in safe, affordable,
reliable filtration process;

12. Urges the UN that investment and resolution of this water quality issue can be re-used in
other countries where chlorinated water is commonly used to purify water and avoid
dangerous chemicals in water;