Tap water warning lifted

Customers on the north coast are being told to boil water

The Water Service has said it is now safe to drink tap water along the north Antrim coast.

A notice was issued to 1,500 homes and 400 caravans in the Bushmills and Portballintrae areas on Friday advising consumers to boil water before drinking it.

It was issued after routine tests spotted an unidentified bacteriological problem.

However, on Sunday, the Water Service said further tests had shown that it was now safe to drink tap water and boiling was no longer necessary.

On Friday, Water Service officials insisted people were told to boil water purely as a precaution.

Busiest month

A spokesman said: "There were two failed samples taken from Eagry and Craig Park reservoirs.

"These things happen from time to time and we issue boil notices on a regular basis rather than take any chances.

"It is nothing serious, this has been done as a precaution and we are going to flush the system so hopefully everything will be all right by tomorrow."

Bed and breakfast owner David Cheal said he had been stocking up on bottled water for his guests.

"It was something that we certainly would rather not have had in the middle of our tourist season," he said.

"We were just coming into the busiest month of the year.

"If you have tourists coming into the area, you would prefer not to have to greet them with signs saying the water cannot be used and that everything has to be boiled."

The Water Service said clear test results were needed for two days in a row before the warning could be lifted.