Cut-price filtered water is to be made available to residents in Galway city as part of a series of measures aimed at alleviating the ongoing crisis caused by the contamination of the drinking water supplies with cryptosporidium.
Details of the scheme, which will see heavily subsidised water available in shops in the affected region, will be announced later today by Galway City Council.
The council has also applied to the Government for funding to provide vouchers to people on social welfare so they have access to free bottled water.
In addition, the city council has also promised to reduce the water charges being paid by commercial firms and businesses while the water emergency continues.
The water crisis in the city is now entering its fifth week with householders and businesses being advised to boil all tap water used for cooking or drinking.
The source of the contamination in Lough Corrib, which supplies drinking water to the city has yet to be identified, but a number of sources, including animal waste, septic tanks and sub-standard sewage treatment plants, have all been identified as potential causes.
A 50-year-old water treatment plant at Terryland in the city, which processes up to three million gallons a day, is incapable of removing the parasite.
It had previously been thought that it may take up to six months before the plant can be retrofitted with equipment to remove the parasite. However, yesterday Galway city manager Joe McGrath said the council was working on a potential interim solution, which would be in place well before September.
Last week, council officials warned that it may take until September before adequate treatment facilities would be in place.
The council has refused to be drawn on a potential time for the new interim solution, but it is believed officials are working towards a target of getting the new water supply on line before the summer tourist season begins.
It comes amid increasing concern about the potential damage to the city and region's tourism industry because of the outbreak.
The interim solution will involve the use of an alternative water source 12 miles from the city at Luimnagh, which would allow the council to shut off the old Terryland plant until it is updated.
There is an existing pipe in place, but additional piping and pumping equipment will be needed before the system is in place.
"We're going to deliver a solution, and we want to assure people that is the case," he said.
"It is going to take time, but we hope it will be well before September."
Yesterday, Mr McGrath said that evidence was also emerging that the outbreak had peaked.
"There were less cases of cryptosporidium last week compared to the week before, so the curve is levelling off," he said.
As of last weekend, there were more than 175 confirmed cases of infection, which can be fatal in young and vulnerable people with weakened immune systems.
The old Terryland plant had also been testing free of the bug last week. However, it is unlikely that the HSE will remove the boil notice until a new water supply has been found to replace the Terryland plant, or when the plant itself is upgraded.
The Galway cryptosporidium outbreak is believed to be the largest known outbreak of the bug in the Republic since recording began in the last decade.
Galway city councillors are to hold a special meeting later this evening to discuss the crisis and the new measures being planned by council officials.