More than 20,000 people hit by water disruptions in Tipperary amid calls for meeting with Uisce Éireann
Frustration over repeated water outages and boil water notices across Tipperary has prompted an independent councillor to organise a public meeting with Uisce Éireann.
Cashel-based councillor Liam Browne has called the meeting to give people the chance to talk to Uisce Éireann about the ongoing issues.
Over the August bank holiday weekend, many areas of the county were either without water altogether, or under a boil water notice.
Customers in the Roscrea area were without water for a time after a problem at the Roscrea Water Treatment Plant.
Meanwhile, a boil water notice was imposed on over 11,800 customers on the Galtee Regional Water Supply Scheme, with a number of people on this water supply reporting no water at all across the bank holiday weekend.
The Ardfinnan Public Water Supply is also currently under a boil water notice, as is the Golden to Cashel Public Water Supply, according to Uisce Éireann.
Cllr Browne said that he has received numerous calls, texts and emails from his constituents about water issues across the county in recent months.
“Over the past two months in particular, those concerns have increased significantly, especially in the Dundrum, Knockavilla, Anacarty, Ardmayle and Clonoulty areas, along with many communities in between,” he said.
“Much of this frustration stems from ongoing issues affecting the Ironmills and Stouke/Rossmore water supplies. These problems have impacted households, businesses and farms, causing significant disruption and concern for many people. Like you, I share that frustration.
“While local councillors no longer have any direct responsibility for the provision of water services, which now rests solely with Uisce Éireann (Irish Water), that cannot be an excuse for ignoring the concerns of the thousands of people we represent,” Cllr Browne added.
The independent councillor said that a public meeting would be held within weeks, giving representatives from Uisce Éireann a chance to attend and explain the issues and what was being done to address them.
“My hope is that we can gather as much information as possible in one place and present a clear picture of the extent of these issues, ensuring that Uisce Éireann fully understands the impact they are having on communities across West Tipperary,” Cllr Browne said.
Over the weekend, Uisce Éireann said that efforts were being made to lift four boil water notices that are in place in Tipperary.
In Tipperary town, the utility say that they are progressing a long-term solution to secure a new public water supply following structural damage to one of the boreholes supplying the Cordangan Water Treatment Plant.
Trial well drilling and hydrogeological assessments are underway at a number of locations to identify a secure and reliable new raw water source for the town, they added.
In Golden and Cashel, the water company has said that a high level of cloudiness in the water entering the Springmount Water Treatment Plant is the cause of the boil water notice. Crews are working to make sure this is lifted as soon as possible, they added.
For people supplied by the Galtee Regional Water Supply Scheme, the boil water notice was put in place due to low raw water levels at the treatment plant.
Customers supplied by the Ardfinnan Regional Water Supply Scheme were served with a boil water notice because of operational challenges at the Goatenbridge Water Treatment Plant.
Efforts to lift this notice have been complicated by ongoing water shortages leading to nighttime restrictions driven by exceptionally high demand in the area, and the upgrade works currently underway at the treatment plant, Uisce Éireann said.
Tipperary is also under a nationwide water conservation order that was imposed in July, and is set to remain in place until August 26.
Overnight water restrictions are in place on a number of water supplies across the county, including Fethard north, the Glenary Water Supply, Rosegreen, the Cashel Water Supply, Tullohea Water Supply, the Galtee Regional Water Supply and the Templeetney south supply.
Alternative water supplies are in place at the Emly Village GAA Club, Kilross Village Car Park, Lattin Cemetery, Cullen National School and the Limerick Junction car park.
Additional water supplies are also in place at Kilcash National School, Rosegreen Village, Stonepark in Cashel, Monard, Glengar Cros and Silverfort Cross.
Pierce Faherty from Uisce Éireann said: “We acknowledge the inconvenience of a Boil Water Notice on each local community and would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.
“Protection of public health remains our top priority. We would like to assure those impacted that our crews are working as quickly and efficiently as possible to lift the notices,” Mr Faherty added.
Details of Cllr Browne’s public meeting are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.