Update on boil water notice timeline expected by early next week

INVESTIGATIONS ONGOING The Lough Mask water treatment plant, near Tourmakeady. Pic: Paul Mealey

EPA requests additional information after tests

Michael Duffy

Irish Water and Mayo County Council have confirmed that a full and comprehensive audit of the Lough Mask water treatment plant was undertaken by the Environmental Protection agency yesterday, Tuesday, September 6.
The audit, which was attended by representatives from Irish Water, Mayo County Council and the HSE, comes in the wake of the detection of Cryptosporidium in a water sample on August 31, and the subsequent boil water notice that has affected some 46,500 people since September 2.    
The EPA requested additional information since yesterday's audit, and this was forwarded to it this morning. Irish Water is now awaiting the final report, which is expected by the end of this week or early next week at the latest.
The report, Irish Water has stated, along with the results of the comprehensive sampling process, will give more clarity on the timeline for the lifting of the boil water notice.
Irish Water also stated that sampling and testing is a part of the entire action plan being undertaken by Irish Water, Mayo County Council and the HSE.
“To date Irish Water has not identified any issue that could be directly associated with the failed sample,” explained Irish Water’s Regional Information Specialist SeΡn Corrigan. “But investigations are continuing at the plant and throughout the network. Irish Water, Mayo County Council and the HSE are treating this as a priority, and at every level these organisations are working to find a speedy resolution to this incident,” he added.