Boil water notice issued for Uisce Éireann customers in west Mayo
Uisce Éireann has issued a boil water notice for customers supplied by the Achill Public Water Supply, affecting all of Achill Island and parts of the Curraun Peninsula.
The notice is being issued to protect the health of customers and visitors to the island due to treatment issues at the Achill Water Treatment Plant, coupled with high demand on the supply.
The boil water notice also applies to the following group water schemes: Slievemore 1, Doogort 2, Dooinver and Dooega. Customers can check if their property is included by visiting the Water Quality section of www.water.ie and entering the property’s Eircode or by calling the Uisce Éireann’s customer care helpline (open 24/7) on 1800 278 278.
Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann are working to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible in consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE). In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.
Colette Scahill of Uisce Éireann said: “Public health is Uisce Éireann’s number one priority and we would like to assure customers that the notice has been put in place to protect public health.
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.
“We acknowledge the inconvenience caused to homes, businesses and visitors, and would like to assure customers that we are working to lift the notice as quickly and as safely possible
“Meanwhile, we appeal to all residents and visitors on the island to be mindful of their water usage as some homes and businesses on higher ground are experiencing a loss in pressure or an interruption to their supply and nighttime restrictions may be required for the island if demand does not decrease significantly.”
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 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.
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, and making of ice.