AN elderly resident at Reen in Union Hall has developed contact dermatitis from water coming from her taps.

Helen Riordan believes the rash is a reaction to water that has left a visible, oily film on her kitchen utensils​ and her garden pots.

Photographs of her hands show how they became red and scaly since the incident on Monday night.

And she also produced photographs of the oil scum on top of one of her planters.

Helen said she has reported the issue, on a few occasions, to the local Council offices in Skibbereen and was informed that no one else in the area had made a complaint.

The resident, who drinks only bottled water, had hoped that the problem would have been reported up the line to Uisce Éireann but after waking with a red and angry rash on Tuesday morning she rang her local newspaper to highlight the problem.

'I had been using rain water for my plants but didn't have sufficient for one of the containers for soaking, so I poured some tap water into it. And it was when I took the plants out of the tray I noticed a film on top of the water, something that looked like a multi-coloured oil slick,' she said.

'I believe there is oil in the water,' said Helen, who is asking for the issue to be checked by Uisce Éireann as a matter of urgency because it has caused her a skin irritation, and could be a source of danger to others.

The Southern Star contacted Uisce Éireann and requested a comment but received no reply.