NEW BOIL water notices have been issued in three counties, Galway, Limerick and Monaghan, following contamination of water supplies during recent heavy rainfall.
The warnings come following similar alerts in parts of Sligo and Meath earlier this week.
The south Galway town of Gort was issued with one of the latest boil water notices yesterday. But Galway County Council emphasised that the contamination was "not linked to cryptosporidium", the parasite responsible for the cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Galway city and parts of the county over a five-month period last year.
The boil water notice was issued by the local authority in response to detection of an indicator bacteria, named total coliforms, by the Health Service Executive (HSE) during routine testing of Gort public water supply.
Up to one third of the population of Gort is Portuguese-speaking, and the local authority says that translated copies of the notice have been issued over the past 24 hours to the Brazilian residents.
"Galway County Council is currently reviewing the treatment process to improve overall water quality and ensure security of supply," the local authority said.
A council spokesman said that work would be carried out in the Gort treatment plant over the weekend. When three clear tests were confirmed in consultation with the HSE, the boil notice would be lifted, he said.
Currently, residents in both Roundstone and the surrounding areas of Inishnee and Errisbeag are still the subject of a boil water notice which may extend into next year, until a new supply system approved by Minister for Environment John Gormley is in place.
The council opened a helpline for Gort residents yesterday. It is (091)476401.
In Co Limerick, a second drinking water boil notice in one week has been issued following the discovery of E.coli in another water supply. Limerick County Council, issued the latest boil water notice yesterday to customers in parts of Pallasgreen village.
Earlier this week, the local authority issued a similar public alert to over 153 domestic and non-domestic customers of the Rockhill Public Water Supply. Continued extensive testing by the local authority's environmental laboratory staff has since identified E.coli in the Pallasgreen Water Supply.
One hundred households are affected by the new public water notice in areas including Knockanea, Grange West, Knockeen, Ballyart, Castle Erkin, Woodfarm, Dromkeen, Drombane, Sunville, Garranemore, Dromlara, Lisheen, Ballyvoneen, Brackylea and Linfield.
Paul Crowe, director of transportation and water services, Limerick County Council, said: "Due to the recent heavy rainfall in the county, the Rockhill and Pallasgreen water supplies have been under continuous surveillance. The surveillance subsequently identified E.coli in the water supply."
Further information and advice is available from the following phone numbers: (061) 496326 (9.30am-4.30pm Monday-Friday) or (061) 419226 (after hours).
Residents of Co Monaghan's second largest town, Carrickmacross, have also been urged to boil water after tests revealed three different types of contamination in the town's supply. One of the contaminants is E.coli.
The pollutions have been found in two wells supplying the Woodvale and Foxfield estates in the town. The director of services for Monaghan County Council, David Fallon, said: "The tests revealed that the bacteria had came from sewage contamination."
