Uisce Éireann lift two boil waters notices in Cork county  

Two boil water notices impacting supplies to thousands of people in Cork county have been lifted with immediate effect.

Uisce Éireann said the boil water notices on the public water supplies at both Whitegate and Macroom had been lifted following consultations with the HSE.

The notice lifted in Whitegate was introduced in October 2023, and affected 10,000 people. This was only the most recent such notice issued to the area, with the first issued in 2012.

Uisce Éireann said the notice was introduced “following increased turbidity and deterioration of the raw water source, putting the drinking water disinfection process at the plant at risk of being compromised”.

Reprieve

Social Democrats TD for Cork East Liam Quaide said the boil water notice had been “on and off for many years, almost continuously”.

“It’s great that the residents afflicted with this longest running series of boiled water notices nationally finally have some reprieve,” said Mr Quaide.

“The cumulative quality-of-life impact on them over many years has been considerable, not to mention the financial cost of buying so much bottled water.

“The new water treatment plant could not come soon enough.”

Progress

Uisce Éireann operations manager Niall O’Riordan said the water utility is making continued progress on its €22m upgrade of the Whitegate water treatment plant.

“This significant investment will address the risks to water quality and the frequent boil water notices the people of East Cork have experienced over the last number of years,” he said.

The Macroom notice, the latest in a series going back more than two years, was introduced on July 18, following a combination of elevated levels of turbidity and operational issues at Macroom water treatment plant. It affected 4,697 people.

Mr O’Riordan said the company is progressing its €6.5m long-term upgrade of the Macroom plant.

Great ease

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North West Aindrias Moynihan said the news would be “a great ease” to local residents.

“In the long term, there is a plan to put in a new treatment plant.

“Work has already started, so there’s a clear path to end these repeated boil water notices. But in the short term, good news and a relief to locals,” said Mr Moynihan.

However, an Uisce Éireann spokesperson said the risk of further boil water notices remains high in both areas.

“The presence of turbidity in the incoming raw water is largely influenced by seasonal changes in Irish weather and, given the limitations of the existing water treatment plants, it is extremely difficult to mitigate this issue.”

They added, because of this, the public water supply in both areas remains at high risk of requiring further boil water notices to protect public health.

When a boil water notice is in place, the water is safe to consume once boiled, they said.