Boil Water Notice is in place for customers on the Castlerea Public Water Supply Scheme

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section

Uisce Éireann continues to work to lift the Boil Water Notice in place for customers on the Castlerea Public Water Supply Scheme. 

Following increased turbidity impacting the treatment process at the Longford Springs Water Treatment Plant, the notice was issued in on 3 October to protect the health of customers on the supply. 

Uisce Éireann’s primary focus is and always will be the protection of public health. Monitoring of the supply is continuing, and these results will be kept under review and shared with the HSE as we continue to liaise with them.

In the meantime, all customers on the Castlerea Public Water Supply Scheme are advised to boil their water before use until further notice. Areas impacted by this notice include Castlerea town, Ballintober, Trien, Kilmurray, Castleplunkett, and surrounding areas.

Customers can check if their property is included by visiting www.water.ie and entering the property’s Eircode or by calling the Uisce Éireann customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278. 

A map of the area is also available to view on the supply and service section.

Uisce Éireann’s Ger Greally assured customers on the supply that a team is working to lift the notice as quickly and safely as possible. 
“I want to acknowledge the inconvenience that the Boil Water Notice is causing the local community, but public health is Uisce Éireann’s number one priority and this notice is in place to protect the health of customers on the supply". 

“Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann are working, in consultation with the HSE, to lift the notice and we thank those affected for their patience.”

Uisce Éireann’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 Uisce Éireann’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is 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 Uisce Éireann 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 X @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.