Boil Water Notice lifted for Aughacasla Public Water Supply

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann and Kerry County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice for the area supplied by the Aughacasla Public Water Supply to protect public health. The population impacted by this notice is approximately 353 people. This notice is being issued because of a power cut caused by Storm Barra and as a result Uisce Éireann cannot guarantee that the drinking water entering the Aughacasla Public Water Supply is being properly disinfected. The areas affected are shown on the attached map. A map of the area is available to view on the Supply and Service Updates section of our website.

Experts from Uisce Éireann and Kerry County Council are assessing the situation with a view to having the notice lifted as quickly as possible. In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.

Ian O'Mahony, Uisce Éireann, has acknowledged the impact this notice will have on the community and apologised for the inconvenience to customers. "We are working closely with Kerry County Council to restore drinking water quality for all impacted customers. We will monitor the supply over the coming days and will seek to lift the notice in consultation with the HSE as quickly as it is safe to do so. Water quality issues at the plant in Aughacasla have been caused by Storm Barra. We will work over the coming days, once the storm has passed, to restore normal supply," he added.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann will be contacted directly about this notice. Anyone who has concerns can contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278 or log onto the Supply and Service updates section of our website for information.

For customers who wish to check if their property is on the Boil Water Notice themselves, please go to the water quality section of our website, enter the property's Eircode, click 'more details' and you will then see if your property is on 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.

Updates will be available on the Supply and Service Updates section of our website 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 from https://www.water.ie/water-supply/water-quality/boil-water-notice/. For updates on Storm Barra please visit www.gov.ie/stormbarra/.

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.