E.coli hits Ennis water supply

Thousands of Ennis householders have been warned not to drink the town's water for the second time in three months following the discovery of E.coli in the water supply system.

Ennis mayor Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) described the town's water supply as "something close to what you would come across in the developing world".

Last June, householders in Ennis and surrounding villages were advised not to drink the water without boiling it first after five pre-school children living in different parts of Ennis were diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease with symptoms including abdominal cramps, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever.

The warning not to drink the water lasted over two weeks.

Over 30,000 residents in the same areas were yesterday buying large volumes of bottled water or boiling their water first before drinking it in response to the outbreak of E.coli, where symptoms include severe diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

Clare county councillor Brian Meaney (Greens) said yesterday it was now very urgent that the Department of the Environment provide the funding for the development of a new water treatment plant for Ennis.

"Tender documents are with the department, but there is no sign of approval. At the moment, there is a very real threat to the health and wellbeing of many thousands dependent on the water supply with these now frequent warnings not to drink the water," said Cllr Meaney.

This was echoed by Cllr Neylon, who said: "We were told the water plant would commence by 2005, but nothing has happened."

Ennis town engineer Tom Tiernan said tests received early yesterday by the council show a significant improvement in the water.

He said: "We have received analysis this morning in relation to samples from yesterday and practically all of them are clear, so there is a very significant improvement. Really the boil notice remains in place as a precautionary measure rather than the reason it was first put in place."

He added: "Our feeling is that the boil notice should be a short one and we should be able to lift it in a matter of days."