Boil Water Notice issued for Glenties-Ardara Public Water Supply Scheme lifted with immediate effect

14 December 2021

Following a number of satisfactory water samples, the water treatment plant had returned to normal operation

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Uisce Éireann can confirm that the Boil Water Notice impacting customers supplied by the Glenties-Ardara Public Water Supply Scheme has been lifted with immediate effect and the water is safe to drink. The notice was issued on 7 December to protect the health of consumers supplied by the Glenties-Ardara Public Water Supply Scheme and included consumers supplied by the following group water schemes: Loughros Point, Ardara, Sandfield, Ardara and Meenmore/Meenatinney and Fintown.

The Boil Water Notice was put in place due to a deterioration in raw water quality and increased raw water turbidity caused by Storm Barra at Glenties-Ardara Water Treatment Plant. Uisce Éireann’s drinking water compliance and operational experts worked to resolve the situation as quickly and as safely as possible.

Following a number of satisfactory water samples and confirmation that the water treatment plant had returned to normal operation, the Boil Water Notice was lifted.

Kevin Love, Uisce Éireann, said: “Irish Water acknowledges and understands the impact of this Boil Water Notice on the 3,518 people supplied by the Glenties-Ardara Public Water Supply Scheme and we sincerely regret any inconvenience caused. We are grateful to the media, elected representatives and members of the community who shared the information. Uisce Éireann’s priority is the provision of safe, clean drinking water and safeguarding that water supply for the future is a vital focus.”

Uisce Éireann continues to work at this time with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. Uisce Éireann would like to remind people to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing.

Business customers will receive a 40 per cent rebate on the cost of the supply of water to their businesses for the duration of the Boil Water Notice and this will be back dated automatically to Tuesday 7 December.

Should customers have any queries regarding the lifting of this notice they can contact us directly on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline which is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.

Uisce Éireann is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies.

Previous Updates

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive, Uisce Éireann and Donegal County Council have issued a Boil Water Notice for the area supplied by the Glenties - Ardara Public Water Supply to protect public health. The population impacted by this notice is approximately 3,518 people. This notice is being issued because of increased raw water turbidity caused by Storm Barra and as a result Uisce Éireann cannot guarantee that the drinking water entering the Glenties - Ardara Public Water Supply is being properly disinfected.

The areas affected by this Boil Water Notice are shown on the attached map and also includes consumers supplied by the following group water schemes: Loughros point, Ardara; Sandfield, Ardara and Meenmore/Meenatinney, Fintown.

View a map of the affected area here.

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

Kevin Love, Uisce Éireann, has acknowledged the impact this notice will have on the community and apologised for the inconvenience to customers. “We are working closely with Donegal County Council 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. Water quality issues at the plant in Glenties - Ardara have been caused by Storm Barra. We will work over the next 24 – 48 hours, once the storm has passed, to restore normal supply,” he added.

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 of water.ie for information.

For customers who wish to check if their property is on the Boil Water Notice themselves, please go to the water quality section of water.ie, enter the property’s Eircode, click ‘more details’ and you will then see if your property is on the Boil Water 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.

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.

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.