Householders ignoring boil water notice

Families in Loughrea are drinking tap water despite the boil notice in place due to the presence of the potentially dangerous bug cryptosporidium, according to area councillors.

Councillors Shane Donnellan (FF) and Michael ‘Mogie’ Maher (FG) said they both knew of families with children who did not realise the water was contaminated.

These residents did not read newspapers, listen to local radio or follow social media, Cllr Donnellan stated.

“We need to get that message out by way of posters, maybe a leaflet drop,” he insisted.

“Irish water did not contact me either as a householder or a councillor that the boil water notice was in place.”

Cllr Maher said the people of the town were of the belief that it was a rural issue and the boil notice did not cover Loughrea town.

“It is imperative to inform the 5,000 people of the town not to drink the water,” he exclaimed.

Galway County Council’s director of services for water and environment Jim Cullen said Loughrea was “very, very lucky” with the quality of its water supply as normally the lake had pristine water and was one of the best sources of water in the country.

Due to the abnormal rain levels since December debris had been washed into the lake which made it difficult for the water treatment plant to remove.

A possible solution to install UV equipment should not take too long, Mr Cullen predicted.

Irish Water said last week the equipment would take three to four weeks to install after which extensive testing over a number of weeks would be required to ensure it was meeting water safety standards for the 8,500 people living in the catchment area.

These specialised units have to be sized correctly for the particular source in accordance with international validation requirements and must be housed within a separate building or container.   Every water source has different properties so each unit has to be tailored to the particular conditions.

Until then the boil water notice remains in place, placing a financial burden on families who buy bottled water instead of the boiling it due to taste, safety and convenience reasons.

People have been urged not to drink the water, make ice, brush their teeth or prepare food from the tap and instead boil all water.

Normally UV treatment systems could take up to a year to procure, install and fully test. But the utility plans to use one decommissioned from another plant elsewhere in the country.

Irish Water reiterated that the boil water notice for Loughrea only applies to consumers on the Loughrea Public Water Supply including the Craughwell area and the following group water schemes:  Earlspark, Masonbrook, Newtowndaly, Loughrea Rural, Killeenadeema, Carrowmore/Clostoken & Caherlaven, Caherdine and Carrigean.

Ballymana Group Scheme was included originally by the council when the boil water notice was first issued but it was later confirmed that this area is on a different water supply and is not impacted by the boil water notice for Loughrea.

“The confusion arose as a few years ago when Ballymana was served by the Loughrea supply but this was turned off when it got its own group scheme.”

Irish Water said it would not be providing bottled water as the water was safe to use once boiled.

Meanwhile householders in Leitir Móir face at least a three month wait before they will again be able to drink water from the tap following the detection of cryptosporidium.

The treatment plant will be shut down for four days from 8am next Tuesday, February 23, to 8am the following Friday.  Tankered water will be in place during the disruption and water drawn from these tankers must be boiled before use.  The water mains will be flushed during the last week of February causing further disruption in localised areas so  tankers will remain in place.