Dowra public water still not fit to drink after five weeks
RESIDENTS in Dowra remain without drinking water as Uisce Éireann continues to work to lift a ‘Do Not Consume’ notice in place on the public supply there since October 20.
For more than five weeks now, the notice has also impacted customers in Annagh Upper, Eden and Cornageeha in north Leitrim supplied by the Dowra public water supply. In all around 63 homes and businesses are affected.
Enquiries made by the Anglo-Celt to Uisce Éireann and Cavan County Council have confirmed the notice was put in place after elevated levels of aluminium and iron were found in the water supply.
Both Cavan County Council and Uisce Éireann have provided an update to the Celt.
Cavan County Council said Uisce Éireann confirmed: “The parameters whose levels resulted in the issuing of the ‘Do Not Consume’ notice for Dowra Public Water Supply were aluminium and iron.”
In a statement Uisce Éireann acknowledges the disruption caused but adds that the protection of public health is always the utility company’s “primary focus”.
They go on to stress that the notice “can only be lifted when the water in the network has returned to full compliance with drinking water regulations”.
The company also stresses: “Boiling the water is not a suitable measure to make the water safe to consume.”
The water should not be used for drinks made with water; the preparation of food; brushing of teeth or the making of ice.
In particular, this water should not be used for making up infant formula milk.
Furthermore, Uisce Éireann says domestic water filters will not render water safe to drink.
According to the water company, the water can only be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry and washing utensils.
The Dowra notice has confused some who saw the water tanks in the village and were worried about the drinking water on their group water scheme, which is not covered by the notice.
Tina Rocks whose home is served by the Doobally GWS said there have been rumours circulating that the water coming off the mountain was unsafe for everyone.
She told the Celt how she has “spent a fortune” on what she calls “plastic water” in bottles from the shop and almost five weeks into the ‘Do Not Consume’ notice was making soup with bottled water this week.
Tina criticised a lack of public information and questioned what actions are being taken to get the water in Dowra back to normal.
However, a spokesperson from the council said that “samples taken of treated water on Doobally GWS on same date were below regulatory levels and subsequent samples taken did not result in levels necessitating the imposition of DNC Notice on Doobally GWS”.
The spokesperson said Cavan County Council “will be arranging further sampling to be carried out this week”.
For those on the Dowra public water supply, Uisce Éireann provides several ways for customers to keep updated including via Uisce Éireann’s customer care helpline, open 24/7 on 1800-278-278.
Uisce Éireann also has a free text service.
Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at www.water.ie
Households on group water schemes have to rely on their group volunteers for updates.