Westport water free of cyptosporidium

IRISH Water has confirmed that water quality sample results returned today have shown that the drinking water supply from Westport Public Water Scheme is free of cryptosporidium.

A boil water notice was issued to 6,400 customers in Westport on Wednesday as a precautionary measure due to  eight cases of cryptosporidiosis in the Westport area being reported to the HSE in recent weeks.

Drinking water is one possible source for this potentially serious infectious disease and in the interest of public health, and in the absence of the definite source of the illness being identified, the boil water notice was issued by Irish Water and Mayo County Council on advice from the HSE.

Drinking water produced at Westport water treatment works is routinely sampled for Cryptosporidium and to date nothing has been detected.

Irish Water will continue to carry out water quality testing at the plant and to liaise with the Health Service Executive and Mayo County Council with a view to having the Boil Water Notice lifted as soon as practicable.

Irish Water and Mayo County Council are working to provide an alternative supply from Lough Mask to parts of Westport at the earliest opportunity to minimise the number of customers affected by this notice. 

Affected customers are advised to carefully following the guidance provided on the Boil Water Notice and to check www.water.ie for further updates in the coming days. Information will also be provided through local newspapers, Midwest Radio, the Mayo County Council website and leaflet drops to food business operators.

Irish Water and Mayo County Council apologises to all affected customers for the inconvenience and disruption the imposition of this boil water notice will cause.

In a statement, local Minister of State Michael Ring welcomed the announcement.

He stated: “The Boil Water Notice will stay in place as a precaution for the time being. Irish Water is continuing to work to minimise the impact by diverting the water supply from Lough Mask to the affected parts of Westport.

“I have been informed by Irish Water that they will continue to liaise with the Health Service Executive with a view to lifting the Boil Water Notice as soon as practicable.

“I am pleased that this latest sample showed no sign of cryptosporidium and hopefully this issue will be resolved shortly.'