Boil Water Notice issued for Clare Island Public Water Supply with immediate effect to protect the health of customers

Date: 12-03-2021

Following advice from the Health Service Executive, Irish Water and Mayo County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice for the area supplied by the Clare Island Public Water Supply to protect approximately 165 people following a recent drinking water quality test.

The Boil Water Notice has been put in place due to the detection of cryptosporidium in the Clare Island Public Water Supply.

Cryptosporidium is a tiny parasite found in human and animal waste. If it is swallowed (ingested), it can cause a disease called cryptosporidiosis. The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include fever, stomach upset, weight loss and diarrhoea. Cryptosporidium may be found in water if it has been contaminated or if there has been a problem with water treatment.

Experts from Irish Water and Mayo County Council are working to assess the situation and investigate and implement solutions to lift the notice as quickly as possible.

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

Ger Greally, Irish Water’s Operations Lead for Mayo said, “We understand the disruption a Boil Water Notice can cause. We are working closely with our colleagues in Mayo County Council and the HSE to address this issue and lift the notice as quickly as it is safe to do so and safeguard the supply for the future."

Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact our customer care team on 1850 278 278. Updates will be available on our Water Supply Updates section on water.ie, on Twitter @IWCare. Further information in relation to the boil water notice is available from https://www.water.ie/water-supply/water-quality/boil-water-notice/

Irish Water 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. Irish Water would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

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.