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Boil Water Notice on Lough Eglish supply lifted

The Boil Water Notice on the Lough Eglish Regional WSS (LERWSS) in Co Monaghan has been 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 on the Lough Eglish Regional WSS (LERWSS) in Co Monaghan has been lifted with immediate effect.

Uisce Éireann can confirm that, following consultation with the Health Service Executive, customers on this supply can now resume normal use of the public water supply. 

The notice was issued on Sunday, 26 January, due to power outages caused by Storm Éowyn affecting the treatment processes at the Kilkitt Water Treatment Plant. The notice affected approximately 11,235 customers in Castleblaney, Ballybay, Latton, Clontibret/Annyalla, Lough Eglish and Rockcorry. Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann worked to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. Following satisfactory water sampling results, the notice has now been lifted.

Uisce Éireann acknowledges that some customers on the Lough Eglish supply are yet to have normal water supply restored in the wake of Storm Éowyn and assures these customers that crews are working as quickly as possible to restore full supply.

Uisce Éireann’s Peadar McGuinness acknowledged the impact of a Boil Water Notice on customers and thanked the community for their support while the notice was in place. “Uisce Éireann’s primary focus remains the protection of public health and we worked with our stakeholders to lift the notice as quickly as possible. We are grateful to customers, elected representatives, and the media for their assistance in sharing information on the Boil Water Notice,” said Peadar.

Uisce Éireann is committed to keeping customers informed across multiple platforms 24/7 and we encourage customers to engage with us through our website, X channels @IWCare and @IrishWater, on Facebook and LinkedIn and through our customer care helpline which is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278. Uisce Éireann has launched a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number by clicking here.

 

Previous Updates

Uisce Éireann would like to remind customers that the Boil Water Notice (BWN) issued to protect the health of approximately 11,235 customers supplied by Lough Egish Regional Public Water Supply remains in place.

Following Storm Éowyn, power was restored to Kilkitt Water Treatment Plant (Lough Egish Regional Water Supply) however the loss of electricity may have impacted the treatment processes at the plant.

Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann are working to rectify the issues at the treatment plant and 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 water before use until further notice.

Peadar McGuinness, Uisce Éireann, regrets the inconvenience to impacted customers. He 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 public health. We have commenced sampling across the scheme to ensure that any potential non-compliant water has passed through the networks. Once we are in receipt of the necessary sampling results, we will consult with the HSE to seek to have the boil water notice lifted.

We acknowledge the inconvenience caused to homes and businesses and would like to assure customers that we are working to resolve the issue and lift the notice as quickly and as safely possible.”

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.

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) are 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.

Customers can stay informed about their local water supply by visiting our website, via Uisce Éireann’s X feed, @IWCare, or by signing up for our free text alert service via the website. Alternatively get in touch via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278.

As a result of Storm Éowyn, a Boil Water Notice (BWN) is being issued to protect the health of approximately 11,235 customers supplied by Lough Egish Regional Water Supply. Power has been restored to Kilkitt Water Treatment Plant (Lough Egish Regional Water Supply) however the loss of electricity may have impacted the treatment processes at the plant. 

The impacted areas include: Castleblaney, Ballybay, Latton, Clontibret/Annyalla, Lough Egish and Rockcorry.
  
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. 
  
Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann are working to rectify the issues at the treatment plant and 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 water before use until further notice.

Peadar McGuinness, Uisce Éireann, regrets the inconvenience to impacted customers. He 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 public health. Although power has been restored to Kilkitt Water Treatment Plant, it will take time for the network and reservoirs to refill. Some customers will be without supply tomorrow (Monday) and possibly Tuesday especially those located on higher areas. Although water supply is returning, all customers on this supply are advised to boil and cool their water before use until further notice. 

We acknowledge the inconvenience caused to homes and businesses and would like to assure customers that we are working to resolve the issue and lift the notice as quickly and as safely 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 Health Service Executive (HSE) are 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.

Customers can stay informed about their local water supply by visiting our Supply and Service Map, via Uisce Éireann’s X feed, @IWCare, or by signing up for our free text alert service via the website. Alternatively get in touch via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278.

Fill points for Agricultural use

Uisce Éireann, working with the IFA and Donaghamoyne Group Water Scheme are providing fill points mainly for agricultural use at the following locations between the hours of 9.30am and 4pm from Tuesday, 28 January. Tankers in the town centre are being provided for domestic use.

  • Standpipe in Church Heath housing estate on the Dundalk Road out of Castleblaney A75PX94 (in collaboration with Monaghan Co. Council) 
  • Kilkitt Water Treatment Plant A75XD62. Water from these fill points is also suitable for domestic use

For more details, click here.

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