Uisce Éireann has issued a precautionary boil-water notice for Newport town and nearby areas after a deterioration in raw water quality affected treatment at the local plant.

Around 8,000 customers are impacted, and the measure follows consultation with the HSE. The notice will remain in place until further updates are provided on water.ie.

Residents in Newport and the surrounding communities of Birdhill, Ballina, Gortybrigane, Ballinahinch and Killoscully should boil tap water before use for drinking, preparing food and brushing teeth until further notice. A map of the affected supply is available on the Supply and Service Updates section of water.ie.

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Customers can confirm if their address is covered by the notice by visiting the Water Quality section of water.ie and entering their Eircode, or by calling Uisce Éireann’s 24/7 customer care line on 1800 278 278.

Uisce Éireann said drinking water experts are working with the HSE to lift the notice as quickly and safely as possible. Pierce Faherty, Uisce Éireann, said:

"We know how important a safe and reliable water supply is to everyday life and we understand the inconvenience this notice will cause for our customers in the residential area.

"Protecting public health is always our top priority. As soon as our monitoring identified issues affecting water quality, we acted immediately in consultation with the HSE to put this notice in place.

"Our teams are on the ground doing everything possible to resolve the issue and restore normal water quality as quickly as possible. We would like to thank the community for their patience and cooperation while this notice is in place."

Uisce Éireann noted that its drinking water standards are among the strictest in Europe and include substantial safety margins. Where tests indicate potential risks, the HSE is consulted and notices may be issued to safeguard public health. Water is safe to consume once it has been boiled and cooled.