Louth Boil Water Notice to stay in place until consistent water treatment assured

Irish Water say that the Boil Water Notice (BWN) currently in place for the Tallanstown Public Water Supply (PWS), will remain in place until consistent water treatment can be assured.

A spokesperson told the Democrat that while Irish Water cannot currently say when exactly the BWN will be lifted, they are working to ensure that the issues that caused the BWN to be put in place, is comprehensively dealt with.

Irish Water have now issued a statement on the current situation. In it they say that :

"The Boil Water Notice (BWN) currently in place for the Tallanstown Public Water Supply (PWS) since 30 July, 2019 remains in place until further notice as Irish Water continues vital work to improve and safeguard the supply."

They explained that they are working with Louth County Council, the HSE and the EPA to "lift this BWN as quickly and as safely as possible."

They added:

"The BWN was put in place as a precautionary measure following issues with the treatment process which impacted on the disinfection process at the Water Treatment Plant. This led to inadequate chlorination of the public water supply.

"Irish Water, in partnership with Louth County Council, has carried out work at the plant. The performance of the water treatment plant and water quality monitoring is continuing to ensure consistent water treatment so that the Boil Water Notice can be lifted as soon as possible.

"Irish Water acknowledges the impact and inconvenience caused by this BWN to homes and businesses in the Tallanstown area. We wish to thank the community for their ongoing patience and cooperation while we work to resolve this issue. Irish Water’s priority is the provision of safe, clean drinking water and safeguarding that water supply for the future is a vital focus."

Irish Water went on to add that updates on the BWN are available as follows:

"Updates are available on the Water Supply Updates section on our website, on Twitter @IWCare and via our customer care helpline open 24/7 on 1850 278 278.

Further information on Boil Water Notices can be found on our website "

Irish Water also reiterated its advice on the Boil Water Notice as follows:

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.

Irish Water has created this useful video about using water during a boil water noticehttps://youtu.be/ 7rvA63Cwaic