Exploring the risk of microbial contamination in private groundwater wells in Ireland and its implications for public health | WEBINAR

Hosted by the CIWEM Republic of Ireland branch

Event description

Our talk will explore the risk of microbial contamination in private groundwater wells in Ireland and its implications for public health. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a significant cause of gastrointestinal illness, and Ireland consistently reports one of the highest crude incidence rates in the EU. With more than 800,000 people relying on private groundwater wells - where microbial testing is optional and construction is largely unregulated - understanding contamination risks is critical.

Drawing on two years of field sampling across two hydro-geologically distinct sub-catchments, Robert will present findings on the presence of E. coli and STEC markers in groundwater and examine how environmental conditions, subsurface geology, and well construction influence contamination risk.

The talk will highlight clear differences between karstic and non-karstic groundwater systems and demonstrate how factors such as well depth and the presence of waterproof wellhead seals affect microbial water quality.

The presentation will conclude by discussing the public health implications of these findings and how improved borehole construction standards and infrastructure regulation could reduce contamination risk and help safeguard drinking water supplies in Ireland.

Part of the CIWEM Environmental Quality and Pollution series.

Who should attend this webinar

• CIWEM members and non-members
• Professionals, researchers, and students working in water quality, public health, and environmental protection, especially those dealing with groundwater and bacteria

Why should you attend this webinar

• Discover how contamination occurs and how tracing it helps with better land-use decisions, agricultural management, and pollution prevention
• Learn about the differences between karstic and non-karstic groundwater systems
• Opportunities to network with like-minded professionals and gain CPD

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About the speaker

Robert Hynes | PhD student | University of Galway

Robert Hynes obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Galway in 2022, during which he worked as a microbiologist at Complete Laboratory Solutions. In 2023, he began his PhD in Bacteriology in the School of Medicine at the University of Galway as part of the EPA-funded DERIVE project, focusing on the detection and risk management of verotoxigenic E. coli in aquatic environments.

His research interests include microbial water quality, emerging contaminants of concern, epidemiology, and infectious disease.

Robert received the award for Best Water-Related Presentation at the 2025 ESAI Environ Conference. Alongside his research, he works with the University of Galway Youth Academy as an instructor for the microbiology course. He is currently completing his PhD under the supervision of Dr. Liam Burke, Dr. Jean O’Dwyer, and Dr. Zina Alfahl.

Booking and joining information

This event is open to members and non-members of CIWEM. The webinar is hosted on the Zoom platform and will be recorded.

Please register your place by clicking on the registration button. Non-members who have not registered for the CIWEM system can create an account on the booking page in order to reserve their place. This should not take more than two minutes.

If you have any questions about your booking or would like to cancel your attendance, please contact branches@ciwem.org.

Please note that registrations will close at 09:00 on the day of the event. If you have not registered before that time, unfortunately we cannot add you to the event.

If you have any queries about this talk, please contact Youvrani Thimmegowda at Youvrani.Thimmegowda@aecom.com.