Irish Water and Galway County Council wish to remind customers supplied by the Gort Public Water Supply, that the Boil Water Notice (BWN) remains in place. The BWN was issued to protect the health of approximately 2,776 customers due to mechanical and instrumentation issues at the water treatment plant caused by the freezing conditions which has impacted treatment and supply capabilities.
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 Irish Water customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278. A map of the area is attached and available to view on the supply and service section of water.ie.
Irish Water’s, Eoin Hughes, regrets the inconvenience to impacted customers, adding, “Unprecedented sub-zero freezing conditions experienced over the last number of days have caused mechanical and instrumentation issues at Gort Water Treatment Plant. Those issues have resulted in intermittent outages, and most recently caused reservoir levels to drop significantly, resulting in another outage which has lasted most of today. The plant is currently producing water however it will be a number of hours until the reservoirs are filled to a sufficient level to supply the scheme. As the boil water notice remains, we advise all customers on this supply to boil water before use until further notice as the final water compliance is compromised in the current weather conditions.
Eoin added: Irish Water and Galway County Council are working throughout the evening to increase reservoir levels to restore a water supply as quickly as possible to all impacted customers. We completely understand the community’s frustration and can ensure everyone that we are working tirelessly to resolve the issues. We again apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.”
In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.
Alternative water supplies in the form of bulk tankers have been arranged and additional tankers are on route. The alternative water supplies will be replenished on a daily basis. Customers are reminded to use their own containers when taking water from the tanker and to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure.
- Near Supervalu at Church St.
- Community Centre
Punchbowl Estate
Irish Water’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 Irish Water’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the Health Service Executive (HSE) are 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.
Vulnerable customers who have registered with Irish Water receive direct communication on Boil Water Notices. 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;
- 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;
- Preparing Infant Formula: Where a Boil Water Notice is in place, you can prepare infant formula from tap water that has been boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute) and cooled beforehand. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water. It is best not to use bottled water labelled as ‘Natural Mineral Water’ as it can have high levels of sodium (salt) and other minerals, although it rarely does. ‘Natural Mineral Water’ can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, as it is important to keep babies hydrated. If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute), and cooled in the normal way. Ready-to-use formula that does not need added water can also be used.
Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.
Updates are available on our Water Supply Updates section on water.ie, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.
