No definite date but boil water notice to be lifted in coming weeks

There is still no clarity on when exactly the boil notice in place for much of the water supply in South Roscommon will be lifted, although it is expected to happen some time in the coming weeks.

Some 6,000 householders in parts of Monksland, Kiltoom and other areas of South Roscommon have been unable to drink water directly from their taps since an outbreak of cryptosporidium in October 2013.

The boil water notice was expected to be lifted last month.

It was announced in March that works to upgrade the Killeglan and Lisbrock Springs water treatment plants, which serve the affected areas in South Roscommon, had been completed and that the testing of the water was underway.

However, as Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly officially opened an upgraded water treatment plant elsewhere in Roscommon today (Thursday), there was still no definite date for the ending of the boil water notice.

Kelly was in Boyle, following the lifting of a Boil Water Notice for the town by Irish Water at the beginning of May. 

Irish Water said it was the “first step in an integrated programme to resolve all outstanding Boil Water Notices in Co. Roscommon in 2015”.

“Boil water notices in Castlerea and South Roscommon (Killeglan) for a further 11,300 customers are expected to be lifted in the coming weeks also due to Irish Water’s prioritised work programme. These two plants are in full production and are undergoing continuous testing and final audits.”

John Tierney Managing Director of Irish Water, speaking at the launch, said: “Dealing with the boil water notices endured by thousands of customers in Roscommon has been a top priority since Irish Water came into existence.

'The contract for this work was secured by Roscommon County Council in late 2013 and Irish Water as a national water utility has been able to fast-track and co-ordinate the completion of this and other projects in Co. Roscommon so that Boil Water Notices will be lifted by nearly 23,000 customers in Roscommon by the end of this year.

'We acknowledge the work of the contractors and Roscommon County Council in helping us to achieve this.”