The boil water notice issued on July 18 on the Macroom Public Water Supply in County Cork has been lifted with immediate effect following consultations between national utility company Uisce Éireann and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The notice was put in place to protect the health of approximately 4,697 customers following a combination of elevated levels of turbidity and operational issues at Macroom Water Treatment Plant. The presence of turbidity in the incoming raw water is largely influenced by seasonal changes in Irish weather and given the limitations of the existing water treatment plant, it is extremely difficult to mitigate this issue.

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Drinking water experts from Uisce Éireann worked to lift the notice as quickly and as safely as possible. Following satisfactory water sampling results, the notice has now been lifted and customers can now resume normal use of the public water supply.  

Uisce Éireann’s Operations Manager, Niall O’Riordan, acknowledged the impact of the persistent boil water notices on customers and thanked the community for their support while the notice was in place: “Uisce Éireann’s primary focus remains the protection of public health and we worked with our stakeholders to lift the notice as quickly as possible. We are grateful to customers, elected representatives, and the media for their assistance in sharing information on the boil water notice.”

Uisce Éireann is making continued progress on the €6.5 million long-term upgrade of the water treatment plant. This significant investment will address the risks to water quality and the frequent boil water notices the people of Macroom have experienced over the last number of years. The works carried out by Glanua, on behalf of Uisce Éireann, are expected to be completed in summer 2026.  

Following the completion of the Macroom Water Treatment Plant upgrade, a more secure and reliable water supply will be available for the local community.