A call has gone out to Irish Water to accelerate the decommissioning of the Grangemore water plant outside Boyle.
Senator Frank Feighan this week urged Irish Water to accelerate local upgrade works following the issuing of a boil water notice on the Grangemore Public Water Supply and Ballinameen Camlin Group Water Scheme.
“This boil water notice which came into effect last week is affecting more than 1500 people in the areas of Croghan, Ballinameen, Ballymore, Killarght (County Sligo), The Plains and surrounding areas.
“Irish Water has been progressing a major upgrade project which includes the extension of the Boyle Regional Water Supply Scheme to supply the Grangemore WSS. This will involve the decommissioning of the existing Water Treatment Plant currently supplying the Grangemore scheme. These works are to due to be completed by December 2019.
“However, I have urged Irish Water to accelerate the decommissioning of the Grangemore water plant earlier if at all possible.
“Responding to further queries on why the boil water notice has been issued, Irish Water explained that in order to safeguard drinking water supplies, chlorine residual levels of greater than 0.1 mg/l should be present within the entire distribution system.
“Irish Water went on to say that by maintaining this level of chlorine, the supply is fully disinfected and any bacteria which may have survived the various treatment stages are destroyed. However due to the poor raw water quality in Cavetown lake recently (as a result of the drought), the water treatment plant is unable to remove sufficient organics from the water resulting in quicker chlorine decay with chlorine levels dropping below 0.1mg/l at some locations within the distribution system.
“Irish Water also said that coliform was detected in some recent samples. Although coliforms are not harmful, Irish Water said it does highlight that the water supply is vulnerable to bacteriological contamination. Testing and monitoring of the supply is continuing and Irish Water will issue further updates.”
