Williamstown Water Update

In Blog by Denis Naughten

I’ve been informed by Irish Water that they have now decided to proceed with a temporary upgrade of the water supply, which will allow the boil water notice to be lifted.

Irish Water have ordered a new treatment system which will be delivered in July/August, which will allow the boil water notice to be lifted in approximately 12 weeks from that point.

While this still leaves the community boiling water for most of this year, it does meant that people will not have to wait until the end of 2016, which was completely unacceptable.

Here is the actual notification that I’ve received from Irish Water.

An Irish Water representative met with the locally elected community group in Williamstown, Co. Galway yesterday where the following updates were given to those affected by the Boil Water Notice in the area.

Irish Water is currently investigating a temporary solution for Williamstown involving the installation of a temporary UV treatment plant. This option is being fast tracked at the moment, but still involves a period of about 6-7 months for implementation, with a further period of water sampling and testing before the lifting of any Boil Water Notice would be approved by the HSE. The long term resolution remains the construction of a major pipe line which will extend the Lough Mask scheme from Ballyhaunis in County Mayo to Williamstown. This is a significant project and is due for completion by the end of 2016.

Irish Water is continuing to actively engage with a locally elected community group in Williamstown.

 

Background on Williamstown

Irish Water has a constant programme of water quality testing and this identified a potential risk with the Williamstown Water Treatment Plant. Because of the poor quality raw water in the Williamstown area, during certain weather events there is a risk to the water supply. For this reason, a boil water notice has been imposed.

Within 48 hours of the boil water notice being imposed in Williamstown, Irish Water had identified a technical solution. This solution involves the construction of a major pipe line which will extend the Lough Mask scheme from Ballyhaunis in County Mayo to Williamstown. This is a significant project and is due for completion by the end of 2016.

Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme (RWSS) in Mayo, has the strategic capacity to provide a long term sustainable public water supply to the entire area. Lough Mask currently serves 20,000 people, and currently it has spare capacity of 7,000 m3 with plans to increase this. The short term option being considered for Williamstown includes the urgent advancement of a pipeline extension from Lough Mask to Williamstown, where the current Boil Water Notice requires urgent resolution. This would be the first phase of a significant regional expansion of the Lough Mask RWSS, ultimately providing the long term solution to both Williamstown and also Castlerea and its hinterland in Roscommon. Irish Water is satisfied that the Lough Mask scheme will make full provision for present and future needs in the supply area, including the planned extension.