Irish Water reminds customers that a Boil Water Notice remains in place for Ballymahon Public Water Supply

Irish Water is today reminding customers that the Boil Water Notice (BWN) issued last week for the Ballymahon Public Water Supply remains in place and water users should continue to adhere to HSE guidelines for boil water notices.

The Boil Water Notice was put in place as a precautionary measure following a failure in the treatment process at the Abbyshrule Water Treatment Plant. Testing of the supply is ongoing. Irish Water continues to work closely with the HSE and Longford CoCo to ensure the BWN is lifted at the earliest opportunity and hopes to have a further update early next week.

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

Read also: South Longford businesses feeling the strain as demand for water increases

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

Additional information and advice is available at Boil Water Notices or by calling Irish Water’s 24-hour customer care line at 1850 278 278. Updates are available at Water Supply Updates.

Read also: South Longford residents at boiling point as boil water notice remains in place until further notice