A Do Not Consume notice covers the Ballyheigue Public Water Supply and part of the Clanmaurice Group Water Scheme in Co Kerry. The tap water must not be used for drinking, making ice or food, or brushing teeth. Boiling it will not make it safe. Bottle-fed babies should not be given tap water. Water for washing, bathing, and flushing is still permitted.
Turning on the tap is one of the most ordinary things we do each day. For households in west Kerry, that habit has suddenly become a question of safety.
The notice follows the detection of an issue affecting the raw water source. Uisce Éireann has issued it with the Health Service Executive, and the HSE and Uisce Éireann set the standard here. Its guidance is that the notice protects public health while emergency works restore a safe supply. Uisce Éireann’s Eoin O’Connell has said that protecting public health is the utility’s top priority.
Which areas are affected?
The notice covers the Ballyheigue Public Water Supply. It also applies to the western catchment of the Clanmaurice Group Water Scheme, including the townlands of Kerry Head, Ballyongane, Boolenshare, Cleandries, Cloghaneleesh, Dromnacara, Ballinclemesig, and Rathmorrel. If you are unsure, you can check your property on the Water Quality section of water.ie by entering your Eircode.
What does a Do Not Consume notice mean in practice?
It means the water must not be used for drinking, making ice, preparing drinks or food, or brushing teeth. It is not the same as a Boil Water Notice. Uisce Éireann is clear that boiling the water will not make it safe to consume, so please do not rely on a kettle to solve the problem.
Babies need particular care. Uisce Éireann asks households not to give tap water to babies who are fed with bottles. Families should use an alternative supply for infant feeds and for making formula.
Water can still be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry, and washing dishes and utensils. Those uses are a relief for families, but they do not extend to anything that goes into the body.
Where can I get safe water while the notice is in place?
Uisce Éireann has set up bulk tankers in several locations, including the Causeway Church car park, Kilmoyley Church car park, Ballyheigue beach car park, Ballyheigue old graveyard, and Cantillon’s Cross at Kerry Head. Bring your own containers. Water from the tankers should be boiled before drinking, in line with HSE advice. Customers can also call Uisce Éireann’s customer care team, which is available 24/7, on 1800 278 278.
What can I do over the longer term?
Once supply is back to normal, many households find it helpful to talk through their options. A short consultation with our team can help you understand what your home’s water needs and what a sensible next step looks like for your family. Book a consultation with us.
Renewell Water is Ireland’s Number 1 rated water filtration company, and our customers have shared their experiences openly. You can read those reviews at renewellwater.com/reviews.
Water is something we all rely on, often without a second thought. Knowing where to find trusted updates, and what to do when a notice is issued, is part of looking after the people we love.
Sources: Uisce Éireann and the Health Service Executive.
