Not ideal.

A boil water notice issued by Irish Water on Christmas Day continues to affect 9,500 in Cork as of Monday morning.

The measure is a precaution taken following heavy rainfall affecting the Water Treatment Plant at Whitegate, and affects homes in Whitegate, Whitegate Refinery, Aghada, Churchtown, Ballycotton, Saleen, Shanagarry, Ballinacura and areas of Cloyne.

Irish Water’s Oliver Harney said: “Public health is Irish Water’s number one priority and we appreciate the impact that this notice will have on the community in East Cork during Christmas.

“However, the restriction has been put in place as a precaution in order to protect our consumers. Irish Water and Cork County Council are working tirelessly to resolve the issues affecting the plant and to lift the boil water notice as early as it safe to do so.”

Under the 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.

Other advised actions include:

• 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.