Clean water to be fast-tracked in the West following third contamination

Efforts to ensure clean water in the west are to be fast-tracked following the latest episode of contamination.

Roscommon County Council is now struggling to cope with an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis in the south of the county – the third such outbreak in the county this year.

The infectious organism has been identified in the water in the Killeglan Water Supply Scheme, near Athlone. The HSE has directed that a boil water notice remain in place until further notice.

Previous outbreaks have affected Roscommon town and Boyle, where a boil water notice is still in place.

A similar notice also remains in place in the Castlerea area, bringing to more than 10,000 the number of people in the county now affected by the ongoing problem.

Cryptosporidiosis is a gut infection caused by a parasite and results in diarrhoea and nausea.

Severe illness can occur in people with weaker immune systems, but most healthy people recover quickly.