WATER SUPPLIES to nearly a quarter of a million homes in the greater Belfast, south Antrim, south Derry and north Down areas are not contaminated, Northern Ireland Water confirmed last night.
Initial tests were carried out on supplies following concerns that water passing through the Dunore Point treatment works on Lough Neagh may have been contaminated by coliforms, including E.coli.
These tests showed no bacterial presence, but the water authority advised more than 220,000 households to continue to boil water for human consumption.
A third test was begun last night and the results are due later today, indicating the possibility that the original concerns were based on mistaken results.
If this final test proves there is no contamination then the advice to boil all water will be lifted by the Public Health Agency.
Water samples at treatment plants in Northern Ireland are tested at least once daily. Testing is more frequent at larger plants, but the results take some 24 hours to become available.
Concerns arose following the testing of samples at the weekend, but the alert was only raised early yesterday.
Dr Richard Smithson, consultant in Communicable Disease Control, told the BBC: “It should be emphasised that the risk to public health is very low, but until the situation is resolved, the boil water advice should be followed.”
SDLP justice spokesman Alban Maginness last night demanded a meeting with the water authorities to “get answers” regarding the contamination alert. Assembly colleague Thomas Burns said: “We need to find out what has caused this problem, who is responsible and how to prevent an incident like this occurring again. We need prompt answers from NI Water.”
Areas affected
The areas affected included Antrim town, Ballyclare, Ballymena, Belfast, Broughshane, Carnlough, Crumlin, Dunmurry, Glenarm, Glenavy, Kells, Newtownabbey, Randalstown, Templepatrick, all in Co Antrim; Castlereagh, Carryduff, Dundonald and Holywood in Co Down and Toome in Co Derry.