Clare Island Boil Water Notice Update - 15/09/2023

Date: 15-09-2023

Mayo County Council and Uisce Eireann continue to work to lift the Boil Water Notice in place for customers on Clare Island. 

Following the detection of cryptosporidium in the public water supply in June, the notice was put in place to protect the health of approximately 160 customers.  

Monitoring of the supply is continuing and the notice will be reviewed again at the end of this month. In the meantime, all consumers on the island must boil their water before drinking.  

Operational and compliance experts from Uisce Éireann and Mayo County Council are working together to lift the notice as quickly and safely as possible 

Uisce Éireann’s Colette Scahill thanked the local community for their co-operation and assured them that a team is working to lift the notice. 

“Public health is Uisce Éireann’s number one priority and I want to acknowledge the inconvenience that this Boil Water Notice is causing to the local community. 

“Please be assured that we are working to lift the notice as quickly and safely as possible. Monitoring of the supply will continue and plans to increase the robustness of the water treatment plant are in progress. The notice will be reviewed again with the Health Service Executive at the end of the month."

Uisce Éireann’s drinking water standards, as per EU Drinking Water regulations, are strict and include wide safety margins. Where risks to water quality are identified through Uisce Éireann’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is consulted, and Boil Water Notices are issued to protect public health. In all instances immediate action is taken to address the cause of the issue to enable the lifting of the notice as quickly as it safe to do so, in agreement with the HSE.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communication on Boil Water Notices. 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;
• Preparing Infant Formula: Where a Boil Water Notice is in place, you can prepare infant formula from tap water that has been boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute) and cooled beforehand. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water. It is best not to use bottled water labelled as ‘Natural Mineral Water’ as it can have high levels of sodium (salt) and other minerals, although it rarely does. ‘Natural Mineral Water’ can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, as it is important to keep babies hydrated. If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute), and cooled in the normal way. Ready-to-use formula that does not need added water can also be used.
• Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.

Updates are available on our Water Supply Updates section on water.ie, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278