Boil Water Notice on Fintown drinking water supply remains in place

Customers reminded to continue boiling water before consumption

Irish Water and Donegal County Council would like to thank customers on the Fintown Public Water Supply and the Meenmore – Meentinney group water scheme for their patience while the boil water notice which was imposed on the scheme on June 2 continues.

A routine water sample detected cryptosporidium in the treated water coming from the Fintown Water Treatment Plant and as a result the boil water notice was put in place to protect consumers following consultation with the HSE.

A rigorous water sampling programme which was put in place by Irish Water in partnership with Donegal County Council is continuing and has identified reduced levels of contamination since the first detection two weeks ago.

The HSE, who are liaising with local GPs, has confirmed that there has been no reported illness in the community as a direct result of this contamination incident, however, Irish Water is reminding all consumers that the boil water notice remains in place. Customers should continue to follow the advice set out below until the notice is lifted.

Irish Water and Donegal County Council would like to assure cusstomers that they are continuing with their programme of works to have the notice lifted as soon as possible in consultation with the HSE.

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. 

Map of affected area

Fintown Boil Water Notice

Irish Water and Donegal County Council wish to apologise for any inconvenience caused by this announcement.

Irish Water is currently investing €1.1 million to connect the Fintown water supply to the Glenties supply. As part of these works 5km of water mains in the Glenties, Fintown and Meenahalla areas are being replaced as well as the construction of two booster pumping stations.

If you need more information, please call our customer care helpline, which is open 24/7 on 1850 278 278.