Boil water notice on Trim public water supply lifted with immediate affect

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Uisce Éireann, in partnership with Meath County Council, has issued a Boil Water Notice to protect the health of approximately 10,293 customers supplied by Trim Water Treatment Plant. This notice is being issued following an issue at the plant, which compromised the disinfection process.

Areas affected include

• Trim;
• Knightsbrook;
• Scurlockstown;
• Effernock;
• Carberstown;
• Blackfriary;
• Crowpark;
• Clonbun;
• Rathmolyon and surrounding areas.

View map of the affected areas

Customers should boil their water by bringing it to a vigorous, rolling boil and allowing it to cool before consumption until further notice. Uisce Éireann would like to remind the public to continue to follow public health advice on handwashing and hygiene. Uisce Éireann advises that the water remains suitable for this purpose and boiling the water is not required for handwashing.

Uisce Éireann's primary focus is the protection of public health. We would like to reassure our customers that Uisce Éireann’s drinking water compliance and operational experts are working in partnership with Meath County Council to lift the Boil Water Notice as quickly and as safely as possible, in consultation and agreement with the HSE. In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice.

Michael Cunniffe, Asset Operations Lead, 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 Meath 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. Works are underway at Trim Water Treatment Plant to provide increased resilience, and safeguard the supply for the future,” he added.

We are directly notifying and arranging bottled water for vulnerable customers who are registered on this supply in adherence with current HSE advice. We would ask vulnerable customers or those who have concerns about leaving their homes during the current pandemic to contact our customer care team, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278.

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.

Boil Water Notice advice

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. It is important to continue to follow the HSE guidance when collecting water including social distancing and hand hygiene.
• 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.
• If you have pets and are concerned about the impact of providing mains water while this BWN is in place, you should ask your local vet for advice
• Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.

Water for animals 

• Pets

It is a good idea to boil drinking water and let it cool before giving to your pet.

• Livestock

A Boil Water Notice is imposed to protect human health. If you have concerns regarding your animals drinking water that is subject to a Boil Water Notice then you should consult your vet. Outdoor animals, such as cattle and horses, are exposed to bacteria on a daily basis that is vastly in excess of that experienced by humans.

Updates

Updates will be available 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 section.

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.”