Boil water notice issued in Cork

Cork County Council and Irish Water have issued a boil water notice to almost 80 parts of the county due to fears that the supply was contaminated during Wednesday’s storms.

The two organisations said they are to carry out further investigations but are unable to say for how long the areas in question will be affected, only that they “will continue to liaise with the Health Service Executive with a view to lifting the boil water notice as soon as practicable”.

It said the public are to be kept informed through local newspapers; local radio; their websites www.water.ie and www.corkcoco.ie; and the water services contact number: 021 4285353.

The water should be brought to a vigorous, “rolling” boil and allowed to cool. It should be covered and stored in a refrigerator or cold place. Water from the hot tap is not safe to drink and domestic water filters will not render water safe. Ice cubes in fridges and freezers and filtered water in fridges should be discarded.

Unboiled water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing and flushing of toilets but not for brushing teeth or gargling.

Caution should also be taken when bathing children to ensure they do not swallow the bathing water.

Water prepared for drinking should be used when preparing foods that will not be cooked, for example washing salads.

Infant feeds should be prepared using tap water that has been brought to the boil once and cooled.

Water that has been reboiled several times should not be used. If bottled water is used for the preparation of infant feeds it should be boiled once and cooled. If bottled water is used for preparing baby food, it should be remembered that some mineral water may have high sodium content.

The authorities also said that anyone suffering from diarrhoea for more than two days should contact their doctor.

“They should continue to drink plenty of boiled or bottled water,” they added.

“Great care should be taken with boiled water to avoid burns and scalds as accidents can easily happen, especially with children.”

The following is a list of some of the areas affected by the boil notice.

Check www.corkcoco.ie for a full list of affected areas. All, parts or regions close to:

* Ard na Laoi, Kerry Pike, and Clogheen

* Ballinagree

* Ballingeary

* Ballydesmond

* Bandon

* Bantry

* Belgooly

* Box Cross

* Burnfort

* Castletownbere

* Clonakilty

* Clondrohid

* Doneraile, Shanballymore

* Drimoleague

* Dunmanway

* Fermoy

* Inchigeelagh

* Innishannon

* Kilnamartyra

* Minane Bridge

* Mount North Ballyclough

* Newcestown

* Rockchapel

* Schull

* Skibbereen

* Whitechurch