Uisce Éireann working to lift Boil Water Notice impacting Clare Island Public Water Supply

Uisce Éireann, in partnership with Mayo County Council, are continues to work to lift the Boil Water Notice in place for customers supplied by the Clare Island Public Water Supply.

The notice, issued in June, remains in place to protect the health of approximately 160 customers following the detection of cryptosporidium in the water supply. Uisce Éireann continues to investigate the cause of the crypto detection and is working on implementing measures to ensure it doesn’t occur in the future.

While drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann and Mayo County Council are working to rectify the issues at the treatment plant, all customers on this supply are advised to continue to boil their water before use until further notice. Customers are reminded that the water is safe to consume once boiled.

Uisce Éireann’s Colette Scahill said: “Public health is Uisce Éireann’s number one priority and I want to acknowledge the inconvenience that this Boil Water Notice is causing to the local community.

“Please be assured that we are working to resolve the issue and lift the notice as quickly and safely as possible. We are currently progressing with plans to install equipment at the plant to render any cryptosporidium in the water inactive. In the meantime, we will continue to provide regular updates to the community as we work to address these issues.”

Uisce Éireann’s drinking water standards, as per EU Drinking Water regulations, are strict and include wide safety margins. Where risks to water quality are identified through Uisce Éireann’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is consulted, and Boil Water Notices are issued to protect public health. 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 (eg 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 (eg 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.

Updates are available on the Water Supply Updates section on water.ie, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.