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Boil Water Notice lifted on Cranford Public Water Supply and Downings

20 November 2023

Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section.

Boil Water Notice lifted following satisfactory water samples and consultation with the HSE

A Boil Water Notice on the Cranford Public Water Supply and Cranford, Carrigart and Downings areas has been lifted with immediate effect. Uisce Éireann can confirm that, following consultation with the Health Service Executive, customers can now resume normal use of the public water supply.

The notice was issued due to disinfection process issues at Cranford Water Treatment Plant. The areas affected included customers in Cranford (The Bogue) no. 2 Group Water Scheme (GWS), Carrick Upper GWS, Isle of Roy GWS, the Rosguill Peninsula including Grainne Hill, Dooey, Dundoan, Crocknamuirleog, Derryhasson GWS and surrounding areas.

Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann worked to lift the notice as quickly and safely as possible. Following satisfactory water samples, the Boil Water Notice has been lifted. 

Uisce Eireann acknowledges the impact of the notice on customers and thanks the community for their support while the notice was in place. 

Uisce Éireann's primary focus remains the protection of public health and we worked with our stakeholders to lift the notice as quickly as possible. We are grateful to customers, elected representatives and the media for their assistance in sharing information on the Boil Water Notice.

The Uisce Éireann Customer Contact Centre, open 24/7 on freephone 1800 278 278, is available to answer queries in relation to the lifting of this notice. Further information is available on www.water.ie.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for delivering public drinking water and wastewater services for the people of Ireland. We are committed to enabling communities to thrive by continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support sustainable growth and development, providing safe drinking water, and enhancing the environment. 

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann has issued a Boil Water Notice for the area supplied by the Cranford Public Water Supply including Carrigart and Downings areas to protect public health. 

The population impacted by this notice is approximately 3,734 people. This notice is being issued due to disinfection process issues at Cranford Water Treatment Plant. The areas affected include customers in Cranford (The Bogue) no. 2 Group Water Scheme (GWS), Carrick Upper GWS, Isle of Roy GWS, the Rosguill Peninsula including Grainne Hill, Dooey, Dundoan, Crocknamuirleog, Derryhasson GWS and surrounding areas.

View a map of the area affected

Experts from Uisce Éireann are assessing the situation with a view to having the notice lifted as quickly and safely as possible. In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.

Damien O’Sullivan, Uisce Éireann, has acknowledged the impact this notice will have on the community and apologised for the inconvenience to customers: “We are working to restore drinking water quality for all impacted customers. We will monitor the supply over the coming days and will seek to lift the notice in consultation with the HSE as quickly as it is safe to do so.”

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann will be contacted directly about this notice. Anyone who has concerns can contact our customer care team on 1800 278 278 or log onto the water supply and service section for information.  

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 will be available on our Water Supply Updates section on water.ie including a map of the affected area, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278. 

Customers are advised to set their location on water.ie to view updates specific to their water supply. Further information in relation to the boil water notice is available on our Boil Water Notice page.
  
For customers who wish to check if their property is on the Boil Water Notice themselves, please go to our Water Quality section and enter the property’s Eircode and then click the ‘More Details’ tab. You will then see if your property is on the Boil Water Notice.