Boil Water Notice on Achill Island after treatment issues at local plant
Uisce Éireann’s drinking water experts are working alongside the Health Service Executive (HSE) to resolve the treatment issues and lift the notice as soon as it is safe to do so
Residents and visitors across Achill Island, along with parts of the Curraun Peninsula, are being told to boil their tap water before use, after Uisce Éireann issued a Boil Water Notice on Tuesday for customers on the Achill Public Water Supply.
The utility said the notice was prompted by treatment problems at the Achill Water Treatment Plant, made worse by unusually high demand as fine summer weather pushed water usage on the island to elevated levels. The same notice also covers several Group Water Schemes in the area: Slievemore 1, Doogort 2, Dooinver and Dooega.
Uisce Éireann said its drinking water experts are working alongside the Health Service Executive (HSE) to resolve the treatment issues and lift the notice as soon as it is safe to do so, but in the meantime, all affected customers should boil water before drinking it or using it in food preparation.
Colette Scahill of Uisce Éireann said public health remained the utility's top priority. "We are experiencing process treatment issues at the plant, and this, coupled with high demand for treated water over recent days due to the fine weather, has resulted in this Boil Water Notice," she said, adding that the company recognised the disruption the notice would cause to homes, businesses and holidaymakers on the island.
Scahill also flagged a related strain on the network: some properties on higher ground are already experiencing reduced pressure or supply interruptions, and Uisce Éireann warned that nighttime restrictions could be introduced across the island if demand does not fall.
What to do
Under the notice, water must be boiled before it is used for drinking, making drinks, preparing salads or other foods eaten raw, brushing teeth, or making ice — with any ice already in fridges or freezers, along with filtered fridge water, to be thrown out. Boiling should mean a full rolling boil, most easily achieved with an automatic kettle, after which the water should be cooled, covered and kept refrigerated. Water straight from the hot tap should not be used for drinking, and Uisce Éireann noted that ordinary domestic water filters do not make water safe on their own.
Water can still be used for bathing, personal hygiene and flushing toilets, though the utility urged caution when bathing young children to prevent them from swallowing bath water, and cautioned separately about the risk of burns and scalds when handling boiled water around children.
Parents preparing infant formula have specific guidance: tap water can be used once it has been brought to a rolling boil for one minute and then cooled. Bottled water is also an option, and should be treated the same way — boiled for one minute and cooled — unless it is labelled "Natural Mineral Water," which is best avoided for formula due to higher sodium and mineral content, except as a last resort. Ready-to-use formula requiring no added water remains safe to use as normal.
How to check if you’re affected
Uisce Éireann is advising customers to check whether their property falls within the affected area by entering their Eircode into the Water Quality section of water.ie, or by calling the utility's 24-hour customer care helpline on 1800 278 278. A map of the affected supply area has also been made available on the supply and service section of the website.
The company said Boil Water Notices are issued only after consultation with the HSE, when its enhanced testing and monitoring programme flags a risk to water quality, and stressed that its drinking water standards — set under EU regulations — carry wide safety margins. Customers who have registered as vulnerable with Uisce Éireann will receive direct notification about the notice.
For ongoing updates, Uisce Éireann pointed customers to its website, its X account @IWCare, the 24/7 helpline, and a free text alert service that residents can join by registering their Eircode and mobile number at water.ie.
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