Boil water notice lifted on Cork water scheme after almost two years

Uisce Éireann has lifted boil water notices for Whitegate and Macroom in Co Cork.

Uisce Éireann has confirmed that customers from Whitegate and Macroom in Co Cork can now resume normal use of public water after long-standing boil water notices were finally lifted.

The news comes following satisfactory water sampling results and consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE).

On October 18, 2023, the utility company issued a boil water notice to protect 10,000 customers in Whitegate from poor quality water following increased turbidity and deterioration of the raw water source.

Similarly, in Macroom, the latest notice was issued on July 18 of this year after tests showed the water may have been unsafe to drink, with more than 4,700 customers potentially affected.

Uisce Éireann’s Operations Manager, Niall O’Riordan, acknowledged the impact of the notice on customers. 

“Our primary focus remains the protection of public health and we worked with our stakeholders to lift the notice once safe to do so. 

"We acknowledge the frustration felt by the local community and we hope this will provide a welcome reprieve.”

East Cork TD Liam Quaide said, "It's great that the residents afflicted with this longest running series of boiled water notices nationally finally have some reprieve. 

"The cumulative quality-of-life impact on them over many years has been considerable, not to mention the financial cost of buying so much bottled water. The new water treatment plant could not come soon enough."

Meanwhile, Uisce Éireann is making continued progress on the €22m upgrade of the Whitegate Water Treatment Plant (WTP) which will address the risks to water quality. It's due to be finished in late 2026.