Boil water notice for Drumconrath to remain until further notice

Irish Water and Meath County Council would like to remind customers supplied by Drumconrath Public Water Scheme that the Boil Water Notice issued on Monday 26 July remains in place until further notice.

The Boil Water Notice was placed as a precaution to protect approximately 1,227 customers following a treatment issue at Drumcondrath water treatment plant which compromised the disinfection process and required production to be temporarily turned off.

The plant was unable to be restarted following this temporary shutdown impacting water quality. Works to successfully restart the plant were completed but following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Irish Water and Meath County Council issued a Boil Water Notice as a precaution to protect the health of customers in Drumconrath and surrounding areas.

Customers in these areas are advised to boil and cool water before use until further notice and to continue to follow the HSE guidance on hand-washing.

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 closely with colleagues in Meath County Council to resolve the issue as quickly and as safely as possible in adherence with current HSE and government COVID-19 advice.

John Hand, Irish Water said: “Irish Water and Meath County Council understand the inconvenience caused as a result of this Boil Water Notice and apologise to all customers affected. Public health is our number one priority and it is important that people adhere to the boil water notice. We will continue to work closely with Meath County Council to progress these essential works and lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible while safeguarding this water supply for the future. Irish Water’s priority is the provision of safe, clean drinking water and safeguarding that water supply for the future is a vital focus.”

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

Irish Water continues to work 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 customers to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

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. Customers can also set their location on the Irish Water website to view local updates specific to their water and wastewater supply.

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.