Flooding hits Cork city businesses

Food businesses in parts of Cork city without water supply are facing a major struggle to keep their doors open.

The HSE has written to each advising them of the measures they have to take, until the water treatment plant damaged by flooding is fixed.

On top of 18,000 affected households, mostly across the city's northside, there are hundreds of businesses affected after the Lee Road waterworks were submerged during last Friday's flood.

Outlets serving food have to have a potable water supply from a reputable source, which would normally come from the tap.

They have been told they can stay open - but only by using bottled water, or by boiling water supplied by the council at a number of locations.

The HSE is advising that staff have to use sanitisers where hot water is not available to clean - while toilet cisterns also have to be filled using supplies brought in from outside.

The advice from the HSE for owners of food outlets is to contact their environmental health officer for advice.