Cavan's drinking water issues enter third week as tests continue
The Annagh Group Water Scheme is impacted most
The ‘Do Not Consume’ notice on the Annagh Group Water Scheme is about to enter its third week of impact in the Ballyhaise and Redhills areas.
Niall Murphy runs the Village Shop in Redhills and hasn’t been able to provide tea or coffee to his customers since Tuesday, July 30, when the notice was first issued by Cavan County Council in conjunction with the HSE because of elevated levels of Nitrate in the supply.
Speaking to The Anglo-Celt, Niall said the issue has had a “big impact” on his business despite the fact that he is probably selling “triple the amount of bottled water” that he would normally sell. “I just can’t provide the coffee and tea at the minute,” he continued.
“There were matches down in the pitch at the weekend and many people came up looking for a coffee afterwards. I am selling triple the water I would normally sell but none-the-less a ‘do not consume’ notice on water will impact businesses. Tests were done on the water last Friday so we are genuinely hoping for some good news in respect of it all this week.”
Meanwhile, over in Ballyhaise, Jimmy Duggan who runs Duggans of Drumliffe - bar and restaurant - has been forced to buy in all the water he needs to run the restaurant, which provides food on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. He highlighted that he has also purchased ice for the bar.
“There are additional costs involved in all of this but it would be great to see the water supply returning to normal,” he added. “Everyone locally is hoping for some good news on this soon.”
A spokesperson for the Annagh Group Water Scheme said both it and the EPS have carried out the required number of water tests over the last two weeks and all have come back “clear”. The spokesperson explained that Cavan County Council must have three consecutive clear tests before the ‘Do Not Consume’ notice can be officially lifted.
In a statement to The Anglo-Celt, the local authority stated: “There will be no immediate lifting of the Do Not Consume notice on the Annagh Scheme. The notice will be lifted when the relevant exceedances fall below the required threshold.”
‘Boil water’ notice
Elsewhere, the boil water notice issued to “protect the health of consumers” on the Castlerahan Mountnugent Munterconnaught (CMM) Group Water Supply on August 2 also remains in place.