nmsky2007

Has anyone been in Galway recently? Is the Cryptosporidium water contamination still a problem? Did it have much impact on your stay? I'll be there in July. I've traveled to many countries where I can't drink the water, so I guess I'll just take the usual precautions. Just wondering if it's still an issue in Galway. Is bottled water readily available?
Thanks,
Nancy

Padraig

The problem has not yet been solved, as it requires the installation of a major water treatment plant, and that takes some time. I gather that the level of contamination has fallen greatly, towards tolerable levels, but nobody is going to give an all-clear until things are in place to prevent a recurrence.

No shortage of bottled water. Hotels and B&Bs supply to their guests, including for washing teeth.

I'm going to Galway later this month. It's not a major problem for visitors. It's a bloody awful nuisance for families with 2 or 3 young children!

nmsky2007

Thanks. Yes, it must be awful for people living there,

bellini

It's not just Galway City. It includes Cong and other places on Lough Corrib. The B&Bs and hotels we used the other week all provided plenty of bottled water to clean teeth. The water's fine to drink once it's been boiled.

SiobhanP

This will not be sorted for a long time and its a pain as most places did not have ice for drinks and G&T is pretty awful without ice lukewarm! Do NOT risk drinking or brushing teeth with the water. My friend and husban were ill for 2 weeks this bug lasts longer and you wioll get ill. Poor things lost lots of weight they could not eat. All places will have bottled water to use.

mom83

We stayed just north of Galway for 4 nights just 2 weeks ago. We had absolutely no problem anywhere in or around Galway. We stayed at Lisdonagh House near Headford and they have their own water supply, so no problem. I asked at every pub about the water and it was all fine. We tooked bottles of water with us in the car for day trips and we were fine. It posed no problem for us at all.

SiobhanP

In Galway city it IS a problem. Just outside some areas have their own supply and treatment so always ask do not take the risk.

vtirish

I will be staying in Kinvara the last week of June. Is it a problem there?

tmt

check out www.galway.ie

galway's city council's website

do a search for "water contamination" in the search box and they have alot of info about it, including a map of the contamination area. It looks like Cong is not involved.

We are considering canceling our reservations in Galway for end of July - especially due to two elderly folks being with us, but we are hoping that within the next two weeks Galway will have the system in place. I read that there will still be a boil water in effect for weeks afterwards.

SiobhanP

From what I saw a few week ago on TV it is not a quick fix and they need a huge overhaul as its the soil that is contaniminated and this means a totally new system or water source and that could take ages i.e. a year. We are a small country and these projects take longer here.

willit

Cryptosporidium of often a problem in spring, as it is commonly found in animal guts - particularly sheep. As a result farmland can become badly contaminated.

If you get heavy spring rains after a period of dryness, then the rivers and streams often become very heavily contaminated and it can overload the filtration systems.