A disinfection failure has led to a boil water notice being issued for the Ballyogarty Water Supply in Waterford.
Irish Water and Waterford council say that the supply may have been infected and have issued the notice after consultation with the HSE.
The notice applies to all consumers on that supply scheme and a map detailing the area in question is available through Irish Water's website.
Speaking about the Boil Water Notice, Irish Water's Regional Operations Lead, Ronan Walsh said:
"Our crews are on site working to resolve the issues with the mechanical failure and we would be confident that the Boil Water Notice can be lifted quite soon in consultation with the HSE, however we will continue to monitor the supply as public health is our number one priority."
Water must be boiled (rolling boil for 1 minute and then cooled) for:
• Drinking
• Preparing Drinks made with water
• Preparation of salads and similar foods, which are not cooked prior to eating
• Brushing of teeth and/or gargling
• Making of ice. However, ensure you first discard all existing ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges
IMPORTANT: Boil water by bringing to a vigorous, rolling boil and allow to cool. Cover and store in a refrigerator or cold place. Water from the hot tap of kitchen or bathroom sinks is not safe to drink.
You do not have to boil your water for the following:
• Personal hygiene, baths and showers
• Flushing of toilets
• Watering plants and flowers
Caution:
• 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
• Discard ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges. Make ice from cooled boiled water
• 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
Only use Prepared Water (boiled and cooled) for the following situations.
• When preparing foods that will not be cooked (e.g. washing and preparing salads)
• 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.
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