Have you been affected?

Thousands of Corkonians are set to be affected by a boil water notice issued by Irish Water yesterday.

As many as 4,200 homes will be impacted by the notice, which has been issued as a precautionary measure following increased turbidity (cloudiness) in water coming from the Macroom Public Water Supply.

Irish Water has noted that if any customer is unsure on whether or not the Boil Water Notice applies to their area, they can contact the Irish Water customer care helpline on 1800 278 278. Customers who have already registered with Irish Water will be contacted directly, according to the organisation.

Irish Water’s Neil Smyth said: “Public health is Irish Water’s number one priority. We appreciate the impact that this notice will have on the community and businesses of Macroom however the restriction has been put in place to protect consumers.

“Irish Water and Cork County Council are working tirelessly to resolve the issues affecting the plant and lift the boil water notice early as it safe to do so.”

According to Irish Water, water in the Macroom area 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.

The following actions should also 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.