‘People are really struggling’ – Tipperary residents left without water overnight as Uisce Éireann routinely reduces pressure
Uisce Éireann has again come under fire in Tipperary town over nighttime water pressure reductions that residents say are leaving homes without supply.
At the January meeting of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel Municipal District, Sinn Féin councillor Annemarie Ryan said that residents in part of the town had no water at nighttime, and that Uisce Éireann should be communicating this to their customers.
"The reply to a letter the district sent says that there are no water outages in place as a result, they just say that they’re lowering the pressure, but they’re actually not, I’m getting loads of calls, and there is actually no water at nighttime in certain parts of the town,” Cllr Ryan said.
"I understand what they’re saying about having to refill the reservoir, but they’re actually turning off the water. There are elements of Tipperary town that, come 10pm at night, they have no water at all, so that’s incorrect in the reply from Uisce Éireann.
"There should be a rolling post on the Uisce Éireann outage map saying that the water pressure has been reduced, because it’s not fair, and they didn’t even give a definitive time when this would be lifted, is this going to be forever? People are really struggling in the town,” she added.
A response issued to councillors from Uisce Éireann said that the utility are continuing to monitor supply in the area, and have taken a number of measures in response to low water levels at the Cordangan reservoir.
"Nighttime restrictions are deployed in order to safeguard daytime supply for residents and businesses, and Uisce Éireann has also installed a control valve at a strategically significant point on the network, which reduces the likelihood of bursts,” the utility said.
“This allows the reservoir to recover overnight at a time when demand is typically lower,” they added.
However, councillors dispute this characterisation, saying the reduced pressure effectively leaves some homes without any supply overnight.
Agreeing with his district colleague, independent councillor John O’Heney said that it feels like the utility are trying to “fob off” councillors and residents.
"I know what Uisce Éireann are saying is not correct. I know for a fact that they’re going out to Cordangan and turning down the pressure, it’s a disaster because an awful lot of us around the table here are getting calls from people around the town,” he said.
"It’s unbelievable and Uisce Éireann are going out to Cordangan every night, turning down the pressure and that’s not right. They’re trying to fob it off.
"This is a major issue, I’m inundated with people over the last couple of months. They’re saying there’s an issue with water conservation and the reservoir is low, but it’s very hard to justify that when it’s raining 70pc of the time,” Cllr O’Heney said.
In response, district director Damien Ginty said that the council have no responsibility for water services.
"I do appreciate the member’s frustrations, but the council doesn’t have any function or role in relation to the provision of water supply and waste water treatment.
"Uisce Éireann are a separate utility company, the exact same an an energy provider,” Mr Ginty said.
Uisce Éireann were contacted for comment.