Uisce Éireann due to complete work at Goatenbridge, as Do Not Consume water notice continues for seventh day
Uisce Éireann are completing the fourth and final element of repairs at the Goatenbridge Water Treatment Plant today, and then monitoring of the water will begin to see, with the HSE, when the water will be safe to use again
Uisce Éireann are completing the fourth element of their works at the Goatenbridge Water Treatment plant today, October 16th.
Once that is done, the company will assess the plant’s performance, and sample the water at the plant and decide, with the HSE, when the notice can be safely lifted.
The reason for Do Not Consume notice, affecting about 11,000 customers, was given by Uisce Éireann.
“Aluminium sulphate, also known as alum, is routinely used in water treatment where raw water comes from rivers or lakes, to remove dirt, cloudiness and organic matter.
“It binds these materials together so they can be removed before the water is filtered. While aluminium dosing is a standard part of the treatment process, intermittent higher-than-normal aluminium levels or cloudiness can indicate that the process is not operating as it should.
“In early September, process issues at Goatenbridge Water Treatment Plant caused intermittent spikes in aluminium levels in the water produced.
“Water treatment experts adjusted the processes and worked hard to resolve the issue, but several automatic shutdowns reduced production and affected the volume of water available to homes and businesses.
“During this time regular consultation was undertaken with the HSE.
“To maintain a supply for sanitation and hygiene during the ongoing interruption, safety features were disabled. This meant the water was no longer safe to consume. Uisce Éireann took this step in close consultation with the HSE.”