Boil Water Notice issued for Glenamaddy

A BOIL water notice has been issued for people connected to the Glenamaddy Public Water Supply.

In the region of 800 customers are affected in the areas of Glenamaddy, Cloonminda, Bushtown and the Knockmascahill Group Water Scheme. Tap water should not be used for drinking, brushing teeth or washing salads and foods that won't be cooked.

The Boil Water Notice has been put in place due to issues with the ultra violet disinfection of the water at Glenamaddy Water Treatment Plant.

Experts from Irish Water and Galway County Council are working to assess the situation and are investigating the issues at Glenamaddy Water Treatment Plant 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. Irish Water say that people will will notice increased levels of chlorine in their water supply in the coming days as they work to resolve the issue.

Tim O’Connor, Irish Water’s Asset Operations Lead said: “ We will continue to work closely with Galway County 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, Irish Water 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.

•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.