A boil water notice has been issued for thousands of people in County Longford.
Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Irish Water and Longford County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice for the area supplied by the Longford Central Public Water Supply to protect public health.
The population impacted by this notice is approximately 17,500 people.
This notice is being issued because the cryptosporidium barrier at the treatment plant was compromised following a deterioration in the raw water quality of the lake source.
The areas affected include all customers in Longford Town, Newtown Forbes, Balinalee, part of Edgeworthstown, part of Drumlish, part of Killashee and surrounding areas.
Experts from Irish Water and Longford 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.
Vulnerable customers who have concerns can contact a customer care team on 1800 278 278.
For customers who wish to check if their property is on the Boil Water Notice themselves, please go to the water quality section of water.ie, 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.
