Boil Water Notice lifted for Ard na Mara customers

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann and Galway City Council would like to advise customers in Ard na Mara, Salthill, an area which is served by the Galway City Public Water Supply, that the water is contaminated with E-Coli. Following advice from the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann and Galway City Council are issuing a Boil Water Notice to protect consumers in the area of Ard na Mara and Dalysfort Road from Holland's Shop to Forster Park (not including Forster Park) and as indicated within the red boundary line in the attached map.

Just over 70 properties are affected and must boil their water before drinking and preparing food. There is no need for customers to buy bottled water. Once tap water is boiled and cooled it will be safe for consumption. The water is safe for all other applications including personal hygiene, bathing and flushing of toilets.

Customers will be contacted directly by letter and vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann will receive direct communications also.

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.

Business customers will receive a 40 per cent rebate on the cost of the supply of water to their businesses for the duration of the Boil Water Notice.

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 quickly as it is safe to do so. Updates will be available on the Supply and Service Updates section of our website, 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.