Galway homeowners warned as houses falling under 'redzones' to be tested
Some have been identified as ‘high risk’
Galway County Council is preparing to test for radon in more than 2,000 of its residential properties in areas identified as “high-risk”, where there is a one-in-five chance of finding dangerous levels of the poisonous gas.
The local authority is currently seeking to appoint consultants to conduct tests in 2,173 council houses located in radon “red zones” across the county, as identified by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Almost 30% of these homes are in the Tuam Municipal District, while just over one in four are in the Ballinasloe area. Just under 17% are in Connemara, 16% in Athenry-Oranmore, and nearly 13% in Loughrea.
There is a 20% chance of properties in the EPA’s red zone having an indoor radon concentration exceeding 200 becquerels per cubic metre. Breathing high levels of the gas over a long period damages lung cells and is a leading cause of cancer.
Radon is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless radioactive gas that leaks up from underground rocks and soils containing uranium.
Galway County Council is seeking tenders from experienced consultants to provide radon testing services ahead of an extensive survey of its properties located in high-risk areas.
This is likely to commence later this year and could take up to two years to complete, according to tender documents. The service provider will provide monthly reports to the council, and the results will allow the local authority to seek funding to carry out necessary works.
The two-year contract is worth an estimated €120,000, and work should begin around a month after a service provider is engaged. They will contact tenants on a list provided by the council and arrange visits in advance. The tender specifies that the contractor will be required to facilitate tenants who wish to speak Irish in Gaeltacht areas.
A Galway County Council spokeswoman said testing was being carried out to ensure that radon levels within its properties are “low, safe, and within the recommended limits”.
“The [EPA] map enables Galway County Council to identify high-risk areas within its housing stock. As part of the planned maintenance programme, Galway County Council conducts targeted radon testing in high-risk areas,” she added.
A total of 631 council houses in the Tuam Municipal District are in the EPA red zone; 554 are in the Ballinasloe MD, 366 in Connemara, 345 in Athenry-Oranmore, and 277 in Loughrea.