Uisce Éireann meets with Elected Representatives to show works at Foynes Shannon Estuary Water Treatment Plant
16 November 2023
Information below is relevant until further updates are provided here or on our Supply and Service Updates section.
Today elected representatives from Adare-Rathkeale Municipal District met with Uisce Éireann on site at Foynes Shannon Estuary Water Treatment Plant for an update on the ongoing works to lift the Boil Water Notice. Public health is Uisce Éireann’s number one priority and the boil water notice was put in place following the detection of cryptosporidium in the water source.
Uisce Eireann’s Operations Lead Duane O’Brien outlined the works being carried out to enable the lifting of the Boil Water Notice.
“Our priority at all times is the provision of safe, secure drinking supplies and the protection of public health.
“We welcome the opportunity to meet with Elected Representatives from Adare-Rathkeale Municipal District to discuss the water quality issues impacting the local community and to show them first hand the ongoing works to upgrade the water infrastructure at the plant. This includes the installation of a state of the art ultraviolet disinfection unit which will provide an effective and reliable barrier to eliminate the risk of cryptosporidium. This unit will be capable of treating the equivalent of eight Olympic size swimming pools each day to serve the homes and businesses in the community. Works which have now commenced on site involve civil engineering works, electrical installation and integration into the existing treatment process.
“We wish to assure customers that we are working to resolve the issues at the water treatment plant. During today’s meeting we were able to highlight the works being progressed on site to install an ultraviolet treatment unit at the treatment plant. This unit will render any cryptosporidium in the water inactive. This is a large piece of equipment, bespoke to the site and it requires a significant amount of accommodation works in advance of its installation.
“Public health is Uisce Éireann’s number one priority and we regret the disruption caused by this boil water notice and have dedicated considerable efforts to addressing these challenges in the short, medium and long term through operational interventions and capital upgrades. We will also continue to provide regular updates to our customers and other stakeholders including elected representatives and business groups.”
While drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann and Limerick City and County Council are working to rectify the issues at the treatment plant, all customers on this supply are advised to continue to boil their water before use until further notice. Customers are reminded that the water is safe to consume once boiled.
Uisce Éireann’s drinking water standards, as per EU Drinking Water regulations, are strict and include wide safety margins. Where risks to water quality are identified through Uisce Éireann’s enhanced testing and monitoring programme, the Health Service Executive (HSE) are consulted, and Boil Water Notices are issued to protect public health. In all instances immediate action is taken to address the cause of the issue to enable the lifting of the notice as quickly as it safe to do so, in agreement with the HSE.
There are a variety of channels through which customers can find information about their local water supply and get in touch with Uisce Éireann. To get localised updates, visit www.water.ie and enter your address or Eircode. Regular updates are also posted on social media on X (formerly Twitter) @IWCare and Facebook. Uisce Éireann’s customer care helpline is also open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.
Updates on planned outages and water restrictions such as Boil Water Notices are issued to all media in the area and to elected representatives for sharing across their channels.