Castlerea Prison has been forced to purchase bottled water to meet the basic needs of prisoners, staff and visitors since a boil water notice was reissued for the town supply in February this year. As the water crisis continues to escalate across the county, households, businesses, and public and community services are continuing to pay the price.

The ongoing water crisis in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, could cost the prison service more than €20,000 in bottled water this year.

There are now 21,500 people across the county, from Boyle to Brideswell, who cannot drink water from their own taps, many of whom have no option but to buy bottled water.

This week the Irish Prison Service confirmed that it is now spending substantially more on bottled water in Castlerea since the boil water notice came into force this year. The prison, which accommodates more than 300 prisoners, plus 200 staff, does not have its own water supply or filtration system and is reliant on the Castlerea urban public water scheme. Since February it has been forced to pay for 500ml bottles of water to meet the needs of prisoners, staff and visitors at a cost of €5,284 in the first three months of this year alone.

A spokesman for the Irish Prison Service confirmed that while some of the bottled water would be sold in the prison tuck shop, costs had increased substantially as a result of the boil water notice.

If the ongoing issues in Castlerea are not resolved by the year-end, this could potentially cost the Irish Prison Service more than €20,000 in additional costs this year, while it could cost the average household up to €1,000.

Household water charges are due to begin in October.