Investigations continue after Galway water contamination

Investigations are continuing into kerosene contamination of water supplying a Galway city estate, where residents have been told that the water is safe again to drink.

Irish Water lifted its "Do Not Use" notices for the 75 houses in Moyola Park, Newcastle, on Wednesday following a joint meeting with Galway City Council and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

It said that a “full review of the incident” would take place in “due course”, while Galway City Council said that it was the subject of “ongoing investigation”.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it sent an inspector to Moyola Park earlier this week to ensure that "appropriate action" was being taken, and was in "ongoing communications" with Irish Water about the matter.

Irish Water had been criticised by the estate’s residents for its five-day delay in issuing the original notices about the contamination, which was first reported on March 21st.

Residents were told that they could neither drink the water nor use it for bathing, preparing food or washing dishes.

The contamination is believed to have occurred on March 19th after a supplementary water storage tank was mistaken for an oil tank during a routine delivery of kerosene to a house on the estate.

Residents were told that “short-term one-off exposure” to kerosene was unlikely to have any long-term health effects, but the notice was not issued until the evening of March 25th.

Irish Water said that no other area had been affected, and the HSE had tested the supply as safe for drinking.

It said that both it and Galway City Council acknowledged the “ patience, co-operation and assistance of the householders affected”.