Boil water notice for Drumconrath area with immediate effect

In consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Irish Water and Meath County Council can confirm that a Boil Water Notice has been put in place with immediate effect as a precaution to protect approximately 1,227 customers served by the Drumconrath Public Water Supply following issues at the treatment plant resulting in the disinfection process being compromised.

Areas impacted include; Drumconrath, Druminshin, Loughbrackan, Drumsillagh, Kearntown, Ballymacolgan, Drumgill Upper, Corstown, Rathtrasna, Drumgill Lower, Summerhill , Mooneystown, Hennigan, Posseckstown, Rathreynolds, Saintjohnsfort, Mackanhill, Birdhill, Aclare House Demesne, Caddelstown, Woodtown, Piercetown, Syddan, Mentrim, Bigstown, Clonbartan, Mandistown, Newstone, Mullyandrew, Greenan and surrounding areas. Please view the attached map for more information.

Irish Water’s drinking water compliance and operational experts are working with colleagues in Meath County Council to resolve the issue as quickly and as safely as possible.

In order to safely deliver works at the plant, an outage is required until 6:00pm today, Monday 26 July. When works are complete it will take up to 3 hours for water supply to return to all customers but it is important to note that water will need to be boiled before use and to continue to follow the HSE guidance on hand-washing. These works are being delivered in adherence with current HSE and government COVID-19 advice.

John Hand, Irish Water said: “Irish Water acknowledges the impact and inconvenience caused by the imposition of a Boil Water Notice to homes and businesses. We wish to thank the community for their patience and cooperation while we work to resolve this issue. Irish Water’s priority is the provision of safe, clean drinking water and safeguarding that water supply for the future is a vital focus."

In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.

Irish Water is contacting registered vulnerable customers who are affected by this Boil Water Notice to advise them.

For queries regarding this Boil Water Notice, customers should contact Irish Water directly on our customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278. Updates will be available on the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website and via Twitter @IWCare.

Further information on using water during a Boil Water Notice can be found on our website at www.water.ie/water-supply/water-quality/boil-water-notice.

Boil Water Notice advice

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. It is important to continue to follow the HSE guidance when collecting water including social distancing and hand hygiene.

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.

If you have pets and are concerned about the impact of providing mains water while this BWN is in place, you should ask your local vet for advice

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