Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), Irish Water and Wexford County Council confirm that a Boil Water Notice has been put in place with immediate effect for customers served by the Wexford Town Public Water Scheme.

The Boil Water Notice has been put in place as a precaution to protect approximately 21,760 customers due to a deterioration in the quality of raw water entering supply. Customers in Wexford Town and surrounding areas are advised to boil water before use until further notice. 

This notice applies to customers on the Wexford Town Public Water Supply who reside within the affected areas identified in the attached map. This includes customers in the following areas: 

Newtown Road, Carcur, Carricklawn, Road, Carcur, Carricklawn, Coolcotts, Whitemill, Wyram, Clonard, Town parks, Ard Carman, Hill Street, Barntown, Taghmon.

 
Brian O’Leary, Irish Water’s Operations Lead for Wexford, said:

“We acknowledge the impact and inconvenience caused by the imposition of a Boil Water Notice to homes and businesses. We are working with our partners in Wexford County Council, in consultation with the HSE, to address this issue and lift this notice as soon as it is safe to do so. We wish to thank the community for their patience and cooperation while we work to resolve this issue. Our priority is the provision of safe, clean drinking water and safeguarding that water supply for the future is a vital focus.”

Irish Water is contacting customers registered on our vulnerable customers register affected by this Boil Water Notice. Irish Water would like to remind customers to follow the HSE COVID-19 advice and ensure frequent handwashing. 

For queries regarding this Boil Water Notice, customers should contact Irish Water directly on our customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1850 278 278. Updates will be available on the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website and via Twitter @IWCare. 

Further information on using water during a Boil Water Notice can be found on our website at www.water.ie/water-supply/water-quality/boil-water-notice. 

Boil Water Notice advice

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
• Prepare infant feeds with water that has been brought to the boil once and cooled. Do not use water that has been re-boiled several times. If bottled water is used for the preparation of infant feeds it should be boiled once and cooled. If you are using bottled water for preparing baby food, be aware that some natural mineral water may have high sodium content. The legal limit for sodium in drinking water is 200mg per litre. Check the label on the bottled water to make sure the sodium or `Na’ is not greater than 200mg per litre. If it is, then it is advisable to use a different type of bottled water. If no other water is available, then use this water for as short a time as possible. It is important to keep babies hydrated.

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