Irish Water Update: Boil Water Notice remains in place

Boil Water Notice for Longford Central Public Water Supply remains in place to protect the health of customers
Irish Water Press Release

10 November 2021

Download a map of the affected areas here: map.pdf

Download translated public health instructions here: Polish | Latvian | Lithuanian | Brazilian Portuguese | Romanian

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Irish Water and Longford County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice for the area supplied by the Longford Central Public Water Supply to protect public health. This Boil Water Notice issued on 3 November 2021 remains in place until further notice. The population impacted by this notice is approximately 17,500 people. This notice was being issued because the cryptosporidium barrier at the treatment plant was compromised following a deterioration in the raw water quality of the lake source. The areas affected include all customers in Longford Town; Newtown Forbes; Balinalee; part of Edgeworthstown;  part of Drumlish; part of Killashee and surrounding areas. A map of the area is available to view on the supply and service section of water.ie

Experts from Irish Water and Longford County Council are working to resolve the issue with a view to having the notice lifted as quickly as possible. In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.

John Gavin, Asset Operations Lead, Irish Water, has acknowledged the impact this notice will have on the community and apologised for the inconvenience to customers. “We are working closely with Longford County Council to restore drinking water quality for all impacted customers. We will monitor the supply over the coming week and will seek to lift the notice in consultation with the HSE as quickly as it is safe to do so. Works are underway at the Lough Forbes plant to increase its capacity, provide increased resilience, and safeguard the supply for the future,” he added.

Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278.

For customers who wish to check if their property is on the Boil Water Notice themselves, please go to the water quality section of water.ie, enter the property’s Eircode, click ‘more details’ and you will then see if your property is on the Boil Water Notice.

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 (e.g. 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 (e.g. 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;
  • Prepare infant feeds with water that has been brought to the boil once and cooled. Do not use water that has been re-boiled several times. If bottled water is used for the preparation of infant feeds it should be boiled once and cooled. If you are using bottled water for preparing baby food, be aware that some natural mineral water may have high sodium content. The legal limit for sodium in drinking water is 200mg per litre. Check the label on the bottled water to make sure the sodium or `Na' is not greater than 200mg per litre. If it is, then it is advisable to use a different type of bottled water. If no other water is available, then use this water for as short a time as possible. It is important to keep babies hydrated.

Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.

Updates will be available on our Water Supply Updates section on water.ie including a map of the affected area, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278. Customers are advised to set their location on water.ie to view updates specific to their water supply. Further information in relation to the boil water notice is available from https://www.water.ie/water-supply/water-quality/boil-water-notice/

Irish Water continues to work at this time with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. Irish Water would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

Ends

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