This ongoing testing progresses in conjunction with extensive monitoring across the city's distribution network, ensuring the water is compliant with drinking water regulations and is safe to drink.
Irish Water is working in partnership with Cork City Council, with the test results being shared with the EPA and the HSE.
In Ireland, drinking water can pass through several kilometres of pipework before it reaches homes and businesses. Some of this pipework is constructed from cast iron and, depending on the area, can be up to 100 years old. Old cast iron mains typically suffer from sediment being dislodged during repair or maintenance works, causing temporary discolouration of the water or the water appearing brown before it reaches customers' taps. With the change in weather conditions recently, there has been an increase in bursts and outages which has slightly exacerbated the issue of discoloured water in Cork city. Usually running the tap for several minutes will restore the clear colour. Irish Water advises customers not to drink discoloured water until it clears.
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Most of the time, drinking water passes over this sediment unchanged. However, changes in flow, pressure or direction can dislodge this sediment and carry it through to your tap. This can cause your water to appear brown or orange and is more likely to occur when repair or maintenance works are being carried out on public water mains.
Operations Lead for Irish Water, Niall O'Riordan said: "Safeguarding the water supply in Cork city and protecting public health is a top priority for Irish Water and we would like to reassure customers that the water supply serving Cork city is safe to drink. We understand the concerns raised by some customers concerning the colour of their drinking water and acknowledge the disruption and inconvenience caused as we continue to upgrade and improve the water supply. As a precaution, we have increased testing on the water supply and are keeping the situation under close review.
"Extensive upgrade and improvement works to the water supply continue across Cork city, all of which can result in some short-term discoloration. It is not ideal, but it is a common occurrence throughout the country, particularly for us in Cork city as parts of the network are over 100 years old.
"I would like to thank customers who have been impacted by the discolouration issues and appreciate your patience as we work hard to ensure a continued high standard of water quality in Cork city."
