Enniscorthy Boil Water Notice lifted with immediate effect
Uisce Éireann announces additional funding for Creagh Water Treatment Plant Upgrade
Uisce Éireann today announced that it has expedited steps to secure funding to upgrade the Creagh Water Treatment Plant in Gorey. A team of experts have been examining the short and long-term solutions while work on the short-term solutions has already begun.
This involves a refurbishment of the existing filtration plant, but due to the complex nature of these works, they will be carried out over the next fortnight. This is to minimise the disruption to supply, and Uisce Éireann will endeavour to lift the Boil Water Notice once these works are complete, plant performance is assessed and having consulted with the HSE.
Uisce Éireann has invested €100k to date on the Creagh Water Treatment Plant since August 2021 on a range of capital works and is also pleased to announce that we have received approval in principle, subject to specifications and costings to acquire an additional treatment system to provide further resilience to the water treatment plant.
The treatment plant's long-term solution is also being explored currently and risk analysis has been carried out on the supply and the current treatment process. This is the starting point for developing the long-term solution for the treatment plant at Creagh. Further information on the long-term solution will be shared once complete.
Speaking about the issues across the county, Regional Operations Manager Jim Fitzgerald said;
"We are pleased to announce that we are in a position to lift the Enniscorthy Boil Water Notice immediately, having consulted the HSE, however the BWN remains in place for Wexford Town and Gorey until further review next week. The recent weather event has proven extremely difficult to treat our water on a few river supplies in Wexford. The issues from last weekend had a big impact on water produced and the priority now is to recover reservoir levels on the supply. We will monitor the plant performances closely over the coming days and we will to lift the BWNs in Wexford Town and Gorey as soon as possible, having consulted the HSE."
Prior to last week's excessive rain, Uisce Éireann had committed an investment of €2m for the Newtown WTP (Wexford Town). In recent days Uisce Éireann has engaged with several process experts to look at various options of the treatment process at Newtown, while also looking at options to expedite delivery of critical elements of €2m investment.
Fitzgerald added;
"I would like to reiterate our commitment and that of Wexford County Council's in getting all of the Boil Water Notices lifted across Wexford as soon as it is safe to do so. We regret the inconvenience this causes households and business, but public health is our number one priority."
Updates will be available on our Water Supply Updates section on water.ie including a map of the affected area, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278. Customers are advised to set their location on water.ie to view updates specific to their water supply. Further information in relation to the boil water notice is available on our Boil Water Notice page.
Uisce Éireann continues to work currently 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.
Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278.
Previous Updates
Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council are issuing a Boil Water Notice with immediate effect to protect the health of consumers supplied by Enniscorthy Public Water Supply.
The Boil Water Notice has been put in place as a precaution due to due to elevated levels of turbidity in the supply which has impacted the treatment process. The notice affects all areas supplied by Enniscorthy Public Water Supply.
View a map of the affected area here.
Despite the best efforts yesterday and overnight, Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council crews were unable to resolve the issues at the treatment plant and are continuing to work to rectify the issues with a view to lifting 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.
Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann will receive direct communication on this Boil Water Notice.
Uisce Éireann's Pat Duggan said: "Public health is Uisce Éireann's number one priority and we appreciate the impact that this notice will have on the residents and businesses in Wexford Town. However, the restriction has been put in place to protect our consumers. Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council are working tirelessly to resolve the issues affecting the plant and lift the boil water notice as quickly as it is safe to do so."
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.
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 Wexford County Council to lift the notice as soon as it is safe to do so. Updates will be available on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278. For information on using water during a Boil Water Notice, please visit our Boil Water Notice section.