East Cork residents receive third boil water notice of year

About 10,000 homeowners in east Cork have been issued with a boil water notice for the third time since the start of the year amid concerns the water supply in the area may be contaminated.

Irish Water and Cork County Council issued the boil water notice over the weekend to house owners who are reliant on the Whitegate Regional Water Supply Scheme.

"On the advice of the Health Service Executive and as a precautionary measure pending further investigation, a boil water notice is being issued," said Irish Water and Cork County Council.

People affected must boil water being used for drinking, preparing uncooked food, brushing teeth and making ice but the water can used for bathing.

The places affected include an area south east of Midleton as well as Ballinacurra, Cloyne, Aghada, Whitegate, Ballycotton, Churchtown, Trabolgan and all surrounding rural areas in east Cork.

Similar warnings were issued on January 1st and February 14th.

On the first occasion, the HSE advised the issuing of the notice was a result of high turbidity - or an increase in the amount of particulates - in the spring source which supplies the Whitegate system.

Irish Water and Cork County Council said they were liaising with the HSE with a view to lifting the boil water notice as soon as practicable.

Householders are advised to check for updates on the Irish Water website,www.water.ie, or through its customer contact line on 1890 278 278.

Fine Gael Cllr Michael Hegarty said affected locals were growing weary of the problem and he urged Irish Water to work to carry out an investigation immediately to try and resolve it.

"We were told on January 1st that it was down to turbidity - particles entering the Dower water supply plant but we're two months on now and the problem is still continuing," he said.

“People are finding it very annoying and they believe it’s related to the flooding problem we had on the N25 at Castlemartyr at the end of December in that the underlying caves are filling with water.”