This is the latest bug in our water

Date Published: 14-Sep-2007

Up to 15,000 people in Knocknacarra are without a fresh drinking water supply yet again — the HSE have imposed a new ‘boil water’ notice after deadly E.coli bacteria was found in household samples.

While the extent of the contaminated area is restricted, E.coli is far more dangerous than Cryptosporidium, which was the cause of the previous five-month boil notice across the city.

It is understood that contractors carrying out major drainage works on behalf of Galway City Council on the Clybaun Road cut into the water mains by accident. And the Council executive have again been slammed by councillors for the lack of information being supplied to them.

The area affected by the ‘boil water’ notice are all estates north and south of the Distributor Road — bounded by the Barna Road and Kingston Road, Rahoon Road, Cappagh Road and Bishop O’Donnell Road.

“Workers were doing ongoing maintenance work to the water supply, fitting valves to the pipes, and it’s likely the contamination got into the system inadvertently,” Director of Services for Transportation and Infrastructure Ciaran Hayes told the Galway City Tribune.

“We picked up a high E.coli reading in that area on Tuesday but it was not confirmed until Wednesday. Having picked it up, we flushed out the system and injected additional chlorine. The HSE decided to post a precautionary boil notice in the Knocknacarra area.

“The Council has……