Boil water notice for Clare Island public water supply remains in place
Irish Water and Mayo County Council are reminding customers supplied by the Clare Island public water supply that the boil water notice issued on June 18 last remains in place until further notice.
Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Irish Water and Mayo County Council issued the boil water notice as a precaution to protect approximately 165 customers following the detection of cryptosporidium during sampling of the supply. The notice remains in place pending the completion of further planned works and receipt of satisfactory monitoring results.
Cryptosporidium is a tiny parasite found in human and animal waste. If it is swallowed (ingested), it can cause a disease called cryptosporidiosis. The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include fever, stomach upset, weight loss and diarrhoea. Cryptosporidium may be found in water if it has been contaminated or if there has been a problem with water treatment.
Irish Water and Mayo County Council have carried out an assessment on the scope of upgrade works required to be undertaken at the existing water treatment plant on Clare Island in order to lift the boil water notice as quickly as possible. A contractor has been appointed to undertake these works, which are expected to be completed by the end of August. Upon completion of these works, a sampling programme will be agreed in consultation with the HSE.
In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.
Ger Greally, Irish Water’s operations lead for Mayo, said: “We fully appreciate the difficulty and inconvenience that a boil water notice causes in the community. We wish to thank the community for their ongoing patience and we would like to assure people that we are working to resolve the issue and restore a normal water supply as quickly as possible. Our priority is the provision of safe, clean drinking water and safeguarding that water supply for the future is a vital focus.”
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 and the making of ice (discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges; make ice from cooled boiled water).
Water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing and flushing of toilets but not for brushing teeth or gargling.
Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact the Irish Water customer care team on 1800 278 278. Updates will be available on the Water Supply Updates section on water.ie and on Twitter (@IWCare). Further information in relation to the boil water notice is available from https://www.water.ie.