THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLDS have been served with a boil water notice due to concerns over the quality of water in parts of Co Cork.
Irish Water issued the notice to 10,000 customers served by the Whitegate regional water supply scheme.
Affected residents have been advised to boil all water for drinking, food preparation, brushing of teeth and making of ice until further notice.
However, water can be used for personal hygiene, bathing and flushing of toilets.
Irish Water said the notice has been issued on the advice of the HSE due to high turbidity in the Dower spring source following poor weather.
The supply serves customers in Midleton South East, Ballynacorra, Cloyne, Aghada, Whitegate, Ballycotton, Churchstown, Trabolgan and surrounding rural areas.
The warning does not apply to other areas or water schemes in the county.
Precautionary measure
The utility said the notice “has been imposed as a precautionary measure pending further investigation in the interest of public health”.
It plans to liaise with Cork County Council and the HSE to lift the notice “as soon as practicable”.
This is the second time this year that households supplied by the Whitegate system have been issued with a boil notice.
Around 10,000 people were affected by a similar notice last month due to the damage caused by Storm Frank.
Additional advice and a map of the affected area is available on www.water.ie.
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