Breaking: Multiple Kilkenny towns and villages hit with Boil Water Notice after parasite detected

A number of towns and villages in South Kilkenny have woken up to find themselves under a Boil Water Notice this morning, following the detection of a parasite in their water supply.

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Uisce Éireann has issued the notice to protect the health of approximately 6,000 customers supplied by the Mooncoin Regional Public Water Supply Scheme in County Kilkenny.

The notice applies to all customers supplied by the Mooncoin Regional Public Water Supply Scheme including Kilmacow, Mooncoin, Mullinavat, Carrigeen, Newrath and surrounding areas. The notice is being issued as a precautionary measure following the detection of giardia in the water supply.

Customers can check if their property is included by visiting www.water.ie and entering the property’s Eircode or by calling the Uisce Éireann customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800-278278.
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A map of the area is available to view on the supply and service section of water.ie. Uisce Éireann’s Shane Aylward said: “We acknowledge the inconvenience of a Boil Water Notice for the local community and want to assure those impacted that we are working to safely lift the notice."

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) is 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.

Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communication on Boil Water Notices. Customers are reminded that the water is safe to consume once boiled.

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;

Preparing Infant Formula: Where a Boil Water Notice is in place, you can prepare infant formula from tap water that has been boiled once (rolling boil for 1 minute) and cooled beforehand. Bottled water can also be used to make up infant formula. All bottled water, with the exception of natural mineral water, is regulated to the same standard as drinking water.

It is best not to use bottled water labelled as ‘Natural Mineral Water’ as it can have high levels of sodium (salt) and other minerals, although it rarely does. ‘Natural Mineral Water’ can be used if no other water is available, for as short a time as possible, as it is important to keep babies hydrated. If bottled water is used to make up infant formula it should be boiled once (rolling boil for one minute), and cooled in the normal way. Ready-to-use formula that does not need added water can also be used.

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

Updates are available on the Water Supply Updates section on www.water.ie, on X (formerly Twitter) @IWCare and via our customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800 278 278.