Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Jul 1999

Vol. 507 No. 4

Written Answers. - Water Supply Contamination.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

129 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the way in which the water supply at St Ita's Hospital, Portrane, came to be contaminated with e.coli on 16 June 1999; the steps, if any, taken to date to identify the source of the contamination and to render the water supply safe for use by patients and staff; the length of time taken to resolve this difficulty; and if there remains a risk of the water supply being again contaminated at a later date. [16989/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The exact source of the contamination has not been ascertained despite a full and rigorous investigation carried out by the Eastern Health Board's environmental health officers, technical staff and external contractors. The testing programme carried out involved flushing out the system, disinfecting and further testing.

Following the detection of water contamination, the board acted swiftly to ensure that patients, staff and visitors to the hospital were not exposed to any risk as a result of the contami nated water supply. Alternative arrangements were put in place for the supply of water to the hospital.

On completion of a comprehensive programme of testing by the board's environmental health staff, engineers and Fingal County Council, the water was passed fit for human consumption and normal services resumed on Sunday, 27 June 1999. To avoid any further risk a strict monitoring and security schedule has been drawn up.