Boil Water Notice lifted for parts of Galway City West Public Water Supply

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann and Galway City Council are issuing a Boil Water Notice with immediate effect to protect the health of consumers supplied by the Galway City West Public Water Supply in the areas of Barna Village, Truskey West and Truskey East, Barr Aille, Fermoyle, Ballard and along the Connemara Coast Road as far as Furbo, and on the Barna/Galway Road as far as Silverstrand.

A map of the extents of the area is below.

The Boil Water Notice has been put in place due to issues with disinfection of the water at Tonabruckey Reservoir. The notice affects approximately 2,300 people supplied by the Barna section of the Galway City West Public Water Supply area.

Experts from Uisce Éireann and Galway City Council are working to assess the situation and are investigating the issues at the Disinfection Boosting Station at the Reservoir with a view to implementing solutions to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil their water before use until further notice. Customers in the area served by Tonabrucky Reservoir will notice increased levels of chlorine in their water supply in the coming days as we work to resolve the issue.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann will receive direct communication on this Boil Water Notice.

Commenting, Tim O'Connor, Uisce Éireann's Asset Operations Lead said: "Public health is Uisce Éireann's number one priority and we would like to assure customers that the notice has been put in place to protect customers. We are aware of the impact that this notice will have on the area affected and thank our customers in advance for their patience and cooperation while we work as safely and as efficiently as possible to rectify the situation.

"We advise customers in the affected areas to adhere to the Boil Water Notice until further notice. We will continue to work closely with Galway City Council and the HSE to monitor the supply and lift the notice when it is safe to do so. We will issue a further update as soon as more information is available."

In line with HSE COVID-19 advice and the requirement for frequent hand washing, Uisce Éireann advises that the water remains suitable for this purpose and boiling the water is not required.

Vulnerable 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;
• 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.

Uisce Éireann is working closely with Galway City Council to lift the notice as soon as it is safe to do so. Updates will be available on our Supply and Service Updates section, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278. Further information is available on the Boil Water Notice section of our website.

Uisce Éireann continues to work at this time 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.