Boil Water Notice for Carlow customers lifted with immediate effect

Uisce Éireann, working in partnership with Carlow County Council wish to advise that the Boil Water Notice remains in Place for the Carlow North Regional (Rathvilly) supply and Tullow Public Water supply.

Experts from Uisce Éireann and Carlow County Council are working to assess the situation and investigate and implement solutions to lift the notice as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil their water before use until further notice.

The population affected by the Boil Water Notice is now approximately 35,278.

Areas affected:

All customers supplied by the Carlow North Regional and Tullow PWS including the following areas:

Co. Carlow

• Carlow Town (Graigcullen not impacted)
• Tinryland
• Nurney
• Kernanstown
• Ballyloo
• Palatine
• Killerig/Grange
• Rathvilly
• Tullow
• Ardattin
• Ballon
• Rathoe
• Bennekerry
• Tankardstown

Co. Kildare

• Castledermot
• Graney

Co. Wicklow

• Liscolman
• Ballyconnell

Jim Fitzgerald, Regional Asset Operations Manager for Uisce Éireann said, "The Boil Water Notice remains in place while tests and investigations are ongoing. We understand that this is not an ideal situation for homes and businesses around Carlow and parts of Wicklow and Kildare but public health is our number one priority. We are working as quickly as we can to resolve the situation with our colleagues in the various Local Authorities but until we have satisfactory results and have liaised with the HSE, the BWN must remain in place to protect public health."

Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278. Updates will be available on the Supply and Service Updates section of our website, on Twitter @IWCare. Further information in relation to the Boil Water Notice is available on the Boil Water Notice section of our website.

Uisce Éireann continues to work currently 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. Uisce Éireann would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

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;
• 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.
• Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.

Following consultation and agreement with the Health Services Executive, Uisce Éireann and Carlow County Council has extended the Boil Water Notice (BWN) for the areas supplied by the Carlow North Regional (Rathvilly) and Tullow Public Water Supply due to a pollution incident in the River Slaney. The drinking water quality entering the Rathvilly and Tullow Water Treatment Plants has been affected and a Boil Water Notice must be put in place until the issue has been rectified. The BWN now includes Carlow Town and the population affected by the Boil Water Notice is now approximately 35,278.

Experts from Uisce Éireann and Carlow County Council are working to assess the situation and investigate and implement solutions to lift the notice as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil their water before use until further notice.

Areas affected:

All customers supplied by the Carlow North Regional PWS, Tullow PWS and Carlow Town PWS (Graigcullen not impacted), which includes the following areas:

Co. Carlow

• Carlow Town,
• Tinryland,
• Nurney,
• Kernanstown,
• Ballyloo,
• Palatine,
• Killerig/Grange,
• Rathvilly,
• Tullow,
• Ardattin,
• Ballon,
• Rathoe,
• Bennekerry,
• Tankardstown,

Co. Kildare

• Castledermot,
• Graney

Co. Wicklow

• Liscolman,
• Ballyconnell
   

Jim Fitzgerald, Regional Asset Operations Manager for Uisce Éireann said, "In the interest of public health and to ensure supply continuity, we have had to extent the Boil Water Notice to Carlow town. To ensure that customers have water in their taps, it has been decided to reintroduce the Carlow North Regional supply to the Carlow town area. As a result of this and because of the mixing in reservoirs and network configuration it is now necessary to extend the areas affected. We understand the disruption a Boil Water Notice can cause to communities; however, the protection of public health is our number one priority at all times. We are working closely with our colleagues in Carlow County Council and the HSE to address this issue and lift the notice as quickly as it is safe to do so and safeguard the supply for the future."

Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278. Updates will be available on the Supply and Service Updates section of our website, on Twitter @IWCare. Further information in relation to the boil water notice is available on the Boil Water Notice section of our website.

Uisce Éireann continues to work currently 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. Uisce Éireann would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

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;
• 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.
• Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.

Following consultation and agreement with the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann and Carlow County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice (BWN) for the areas supplied by the Carlow North Regional (Rathvilly) and Tullow Public Water Supply due to a pollution incident in the River Slaney. The drinking water quality entering the Rathvilly and Tullow Water Treatment Plants has been affected and a Boil Water Notice must be put in place until the issue has been rectified.

Experts from Uisce Éireann and Carlow County Council are working to assess the situation and investigate and implement solutions to lift the notice as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil their water before use until further notice.

Areas affected

• Palatine,
• Killerig/Grange,
• Rathvilly,
• Tullow,
• Ardattin,
• Ballon,
• Rathoe,
• Bennekerry,
• Tankardstown

Co. Kildare

• Castledermot,
• Graney,
• Timolin,
• Kilkee
• Ballitore

Co. Wicklow

• Liscolman,
• Ballyconnell

Jim Fitzgerald, Regional Asset Operations Manager for Uisce Éireann said, "We understand the disruption a Boil Water Notice can cause to communities; however, the protection of public health is our number one priority at all times. We are working closely with our colleagues in Carlow County Council and the HSE to address this issue and lift the notice as quickly as it is safe to do so and safeguard the supply for the future."

Vunerable customers

Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278. Updates will be available on our Water Supply Updates section on water.ie, on Twitter @IWCare. Further information in relation to the boil water notice is available on our Boil Water Notice Information page.

Uisce Éireann continues to work currently 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. Uisce Éireann would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

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;
• 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.

Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.