Progress made restoring supply in Fethard, however Do Not Drink Notice remains in place

Significant progress made in restoring water supply for sanitation following third party fuel spill in Anner River

Irish Water and Tipperary County Council are reminding customers on the Fethard Regional Water Supply Scheme that, as a partial water supply returns over the weekend, the Do Not Drink Notice will remain in place until further notice.
 
Good progress has been made in managing the network to restore water for washing and other sanitary purposes and the majority of people on the scheme should have a water supply over the coming days.
 
However this water is untreated and is not safe for human consumption. The Do Not Drink Notice remains in place until further notice. Boiling the water will not be sufficient to make it suitable for consumption. (Please see details below)
 
There may be ongoing interruptions to the supply as we work to manage the network. Customers that have appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers plumbed directly from the mains supply are advised to be particularly careful in their use as unexpected interruptions to supply could damage their appliances.
 
Customers may notice discolouration or odour in the water as the network refills. Some customers may also have internal airlocks on their properties. For advice on dealing with airlocks please visit our 'How to check for and clear internal airlocks' page.
 
We are also asking customers in the area to continue to conserve water where possible by turning off taps when not in use, taking showers instead of baths and checking for leaks. Irish Water is especially appealing to anyone with an outside tap to ensure that it is securely turned off.
 
The Do Not Drink Notice was issued on the advice of the HSE in order to safeguard public health following a kerosene spill from a third party source into the River Anner, approximately 10km upstream of the intake to the water treatment plant.
 
Water stations are currently available throughout the affected area and these will continue until the Do Not Drink Notice is lifted. This alternative water should be boiled before normal use for drinking and food preparation. In some locations, tankers have also been used to replenish water tanks in schools and other key locations for sanitary use. Irish Water has also been in contact with vulnerable customers in the area and provided them with supplies of bottled water. Details of the locations of tankers are available on the drinking water updates page.
 
Customers who have any health concerns should contact their GP in the first instance. Farmers who are concerned that livestock may have consumed contaminated water are advised to contact their local vet for advice, or their local Department of Agriculture contact. 
 
Irish Water and Tipperary County Council fully acknowledge the inconvenience caused as a result of this incident and wish to assure customers that we are making every effort to restore a normal supply as quickly as possible in consultation with the HSE.
 
Should customers have any concerns or queries, they should contact Irish Water’s 24/7 customer care line at 1850 278 278. 

• drinking,
• drinks made with water, 
• food preparation, washing or cooking of food, 
• brushing of teeth, or 
• making of ice.