Boil Water Notice for customers supplied by Kiltealy Public Water Supply lifted with immediate effect
Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section.
The Boil Water Notice issued on the Kiltealy Public Water Supply in Co Wexford has been lifted with immediate effect. Uisce Éireann can confirm that, following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), customers can now resume normal use of the water supply.
The notice, which was issued on Friday, 1 December, was put in place to protect the health of approximately 250 customers due to elevated turbidity in the supply.
Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council worked to lift the notice as quickly and safely as possible and following the successful completion of remedial works and the receipt of a number of satisfactory water samples, the Boil Water Notice has been lifted.
Uisce Eireann's Jim Fitzgerald acknowledged the impact of the notice on homes and businesses and thanked the community for their support while we worked to lift the notice.
"Uisce Éireann's primary focus remains the protection of public health and we worked to lift the notice as quickly as it was safe to do so. We are grateful to customers, elected representatives and the media for their assistance in sharing information on the boil water notice."
Uisce Éireann continues to provide detailed, real-time, and local information about water service and supply issues on our website.. The Uisce Éireann customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and updates are also issued via Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) @IWCare. Business customers can sign up to Uisce Éireann's text alert system to receive updates on supply interruptions over four hours in duration at www.water.ie/business-updates. To register as a vulnerable customer or as an alternative contact, visit www.water.ie/vulnerablecustomer.
Previous Updates
Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice to protect the health of approximately 250 customers supplied by Kiltealy Public Water Supply. This is due to elevated turbidity in the supply.
All customers supplied by Kiltealy Public Water Supply are impacted. Customers can check if their property is included by visiting the Water Quality section and entering the property's Eircode or by calling the Uisce Éireann's customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278.
A map of the area is attached
All consumers affected by this notice must boil their water before drinking.
Uisce Éireann's primary focus is and always will be the protection of public health. Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council are working, in consultation with the HSE, to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil and cool their water before use until further notice.
Uisce Eireann's Regional Operations Manager Jim Fitzgerald acknowledged the impact of this notice on the community.
"Public health is Uisce Éireann's number one priority and this notice has been put in place to protect public health. We would like to assure customers that we are working to lift the notice as quickly as possible."
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 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 Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.