Boil Water Notice still in place in Horse & Jockey area over three months after it was imposed

Irish Water in partnership with Tipperary County Council have issued a statement reminding customers supplied by the Horse and Jockey Public Water Supply, that the Boil Water Notice (BWN) issued on September 3 remains in place. 

Drinking water experts from Irish Water and Tipperary County Council continue to work to rectify the turbidity issues at the treatment plant and plans are progressing to undertake upgrades at the treatment plant in order to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible, in consultation with the HSE. 

"We will provide a further update in the coming weeks as the upgrade plans progress. In the meantime, all customers on this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice," said an Irish Water spokesman. 

The BWN was issued to protect the health of approximately 650 customers due to increased turbidity in the raw water source impacting the treatment processes at the water treatment plant.

Areas impacted are Horse and Jockey, Forgestown, Moycarkey, Curraheen, Ballymurreen, Drumgower, Newtown and surrounding areas. Customers can check if their property is included by visiting the Water Quality section of www.water.ie and entering the property’s Eircode or by calling the Irish Water customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278. A map of the impacted area is also included. 

Irish Water’s Operations Lead, Colin Cunningham said he regrets the inconvenience to impacted customers. 

“We acknowledge the inconvenience caused to homes and businesses and would like to assure customers that we are working to resolve the issue and lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible, in consultation with the HSE. 

“To expedite the lifting of the BWN and ensure a safe drinking water supply for customers, Irish Water is progressing with upgrades at the plant. A contractor has already been appointed and works are expected to begin on site within weeks. As the project progresses, Irish Water will provide further updates along with the expected timeline for lifting of the notice, however, we would hope to be in a position to lift the Boil Water Notice for customers before Christmas.

"In addition, Irish Water is also progressing long-term plans for the Horse and Jockey supply which will involve decommissioning the raw water source and treatment plant, and connecting the scheme to the Thurles Regional Water Supply Scheme.

"This significant project will safeguard the water supply for the local community and provide a safe and secure water supply for generations. Works are expected to commence in late 2023 and a further update will be provide as the project progresses.”

Irish Water’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 Irish Water’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the Health Service Executive (HSE) are 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 Irish Water 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.