More than 4,000 people affected by Boil Water Notice in Cork town

More than 4,000 people in Co Cork town are affected by a Boil Water Notice issued by Uisce Éireann on Tuesday evening.

The water utility company said in a statement that, following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), it had issued a Boil Water Notice “to protect the health of approximately 4,194 customers supplied by the Macroom public water supply”.

The company said the notice followed “increased turbidity and supply shortage in the raw water source”.

Turbidity is a measure of the level of particles such as sediment, plankton, or organic by-products, which can cause cloudiness in a body of water.

All consumers affected by this notice must boil their water before drinking.

Uisce Éireann said its customers could check if their home or business was affected by the notice by visiting www.water.ie and entering their Eircode or by calling the Uisce Éireann helpline, which is open 24/7, on 1800 278 278.

Uisce Éireann’s Niall O’Riordan said public health was the company’s number one priority, and added that the notice had been put in place to protect public health.

“Our compliance and operations experts are working to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible.

“We understand the impact a Boil Water Notice has on the local community and apologise for any inconvenience caused,” he said.

Uisce Éireann said its drinking water standards, as per EU drinking water regulations, were strict and included wide safety margins.

“Where risks to water quality are identified through Uisce Éireann’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the HSE is consulted, and Boil Water Notices are issued to protect public health,” the company said.

“In all instances immediate action is taken to address the cause of the issue to enable the lifting of the notice as quickly as it safe to do so, in agreement with the HSE.

“Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communication on Boil Water Notices. Customers are reminded that the water is safe to consume once boiled.” 

 Water must be boiled for:

• Drinking;
• Drinks made with water;
• Preparation of salads and similar foods, which are not cooked prior to eating;
• Brushing of teeth;
• Making of ice - discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges. Make ice from cooled boiled water.

What actions should be taken:

• Use water prepared for drinking when preparing foods that will not be cooked (e.g. washing salads);
• Water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing and flushing of toilets but not for brushing teeth or gargling;
• Boil water by bringing to a vigorous, rolling boil (e.g. with an automatic kettle) and allow to cool. Cover and store in a refrigerator or cold place. Water from the hot tap is not safe to drink. Domestic water filters will not render water safe to drink;
• Caution should be taken when bathing children to ensure that they do not swallow the bathing water;
• Preparing Infant Formula: Where a Boil Water Notice is in place, you can prepare infant formula from tap water that has been boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute) and cooled beforehand. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water. It is best not to use bottled water labelled as ‘Natural Mineral Water’ as it can have high levels of sodium (salt) and other minerals, although it rarely does. ‘Natural Mineral Water’ can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, as it is important to keep babies hydrated. If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute), and cooled in the normal way. Ready-to-use formula that does not need added water can also be used.

Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.