Wednesday, 29 August 2007 16:32, RTE-News
Water supplies to a housing estate in north Dublin are still contaminated with E. coli, almost a fortnight after it was thought the problem had been eliminated.
Tests carried out on Monday show that low levels of the bacteria are present in the water in the Knocksedan Estate in Swords.
A notice to boil water, which was issued earlier this month when the problem was first identified, remains in place.
The system has been flushed and chlorinated a number of times but the most recent tests show the bacteria is still present in the water supply.
Fingal County Council has said the contamination occurred within 1km of the estate but the exact cause has not yet been identified.
Elsewhere, the HSE West has ruled out the public water supply in Enniscrone, Co Sligo as the source of E. coli contamination.
Dr Anthony Breslin said the water was one of the first tests done and it is ok.
Six cases have been confirmed and the only connection made between them so far is Enniscrone.
Dr Anthony Breslin, HSE Public Health Specialist in the region, said that about 150 people have called a helpline set up to identify people who stayed in or ate food in Enniscrone between 20 July and 20 August.
Some callers were making general enquiries, he said, but many complained of symptoms and these would be followed up as the HSE attempts to pin-point the source of the contamination.
None of the people who called the helpline had been hospitalised.
The HSE West is asking anyone who visited, stayed in or ate food in Enniscrone between 20 July and 20 August and subsequently became ill with diarrhoea, vomiting or abdominal pain to contact their helpline on 1890 200 548.
No comments:
Post a Comment