The US federal agency Environmental Protection Agency says one third of Ireland’s rivers and ground water sources are polluted.

The Irish Times quoted the EPA Wednesday as it reported that Irish water sources are polluted with human, animal, farming or industrial waste. The country’s coasts and estuaries suffer the most, as water quality here has decreased.

The report says this decline in quality has occurred despite substantial financing from the Irish government on new water treatment facilities. The pollution of groundwater supplies has worsened in many areas over the past year, the EPA said in its report.

Its Water Indicator Report emphasized pollution with coliforms, fecal bacteria, in one third of all groundwater. Nine of the 11 main river systems in Ireland were reported as polluted with fertilizers.

The report made by EPA said the area most affected by groundwater contamination is around Galway, where much of the water flows into Lough Corrib, the source of Galway's drinking water.

Residents of Galway county have been warned to boil the water they use since March, particularly those in Galway city, Barna, Carnmore, Athenry, Claregalway, Corofin, Headford, Lackagh, Oranmore, Tuam and Turloughmore.

Local health officials imposed this measure after dozens of people suffered from stomach illness. Over the past couple of months, 250 people have fallen ill because of the cryptosporidium bacteria in water.