Uisce Éireann have said that customers supplied by the Macroom Public Water Supply that the Boil Water Notice issued last November is now lifted with immediate effect following consultation undertaken with the HSE (Health Service Executive).

All consumers on the Macroom Public Water Supply can now resume normal use of the water supply for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth, they said.

The notice was originally issued due to turbidity impacting the treatment processes at the water treatment plant. Uisce Éireann operation and compliance experts worked with colleagues in Cork County Council to carry out the necessary works to enable the notice to be lifted as quickly as possible.

Uisce Éireann Operations Lead, Niall O’Riordan said: “Uisce Éireann wishes to thank everyone for their patience, co-operation and assistance during this Boil Water Notice. We are grateful to the media, elected representatives and members of the public who shared these updates.” 

In the longer term, Uisce Éireann is progressing a major project to upgrade and modernise Macroom Water Treatment Plant to increase its capacity, provide increased resilience, and secure the water supply in Macroom and surrounding areas. The upgrade, which has been prioritised for investment, will also include the provision of new rapid gravity type filters and new coagulation and flocculation equipment, providing increased protection against issues with raw water quality, including turbidity, and will significantly reduce occurrences of Boil Water Notices in the future. 

Tenders have recently been returned and it is anticipated that a contractor will be appointed in mid-2023. Design works for the Macroom upgrade will then commence. Further updates will be provided as the project progresses.