Boil Water Notice lifted for Abbeyfeale Public Water Supply

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Uisce Éireann and Limerick City & County Council has issued a Boil Water Notice to protect the health of approximately 6,886 consumers supplied by the Abbeyfeale Public Water Supply scheme. This follows issues identified with the treatment process at the Water Treatment Plant. As a precaution, Uisce Éireann and Limerick County Council are issuing this Boil Water Notice with immediate effect to protect the health of consumers.

This notice applies to all consumers on the Abbeyfeale Public Water supply.  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 Limerick City & County Council are working to implement solutions to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible in consultation with the HSE. In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil and cool their water before use until further notice.

Uisce Éireann's Ian O'Mahony acknowledged the impact of this notice on the community and regrets the inconvenience to impacted customers, adding: "Public health is Uisce Éireann's number one priority, and we are working closely with  Limerick City & County Council to restore drinking water quality for all impacted customers in Abbeyfeale and to lift the Boil Water Notice as quickly as it is safe to do so, and in consultation with the HSE."

"We regret the impact that this Boil Water Notice will have on the local community and would like to assure them that we are prioritising works to restore a safe water supply with a view of lifting the notice as soon as it is safe to do so."

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann will receive direct communication on this Boil Water Notice and are reminded that the water is safe to consume once boiled and cooled. In line with HSE advice on hand washing, Uisce Éireann advises that the water remains suitable for this purpose and boiling the water is not required.

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. 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.