Truck drivers taking water reserved for fire services in Enniscorthy housing estates and graveyards

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Truck drivers are driving into housing estates and accessing water supplies specifically reserved for the fire services in the Enniscorthy Municipal District (EMD). That’s according to independent councillor John O’Rourke who has raised fears that this ongoing practise will impact the local fire services in the event of an emergency.

“These truck drivers are going into estates they don’t live in and accessing water services which are there for the fire services; they’re lifting the covers and filling their tanks with water,” he said at the June meeting of the EMD. “The one out in St Mary’s Cemetery is being bombarded at the moment too.

“These are not our trucks, but they’re going in, taking the water, and driving off. The members of our fire service have already noticed that the water supply they would be using is reduced as a result of this behaviour.”

Although the environment department said no incidents of this nature had been reported to them, Cllr O’Rourke said it was vital these water supplies were reserved for the fire service.

“If there’s a big fire in the district the volume of water required won’t be there when they’re called to an emergency,” he said.

However, director of services Carolyne Godkin was keen to quell any sense of panic among councillors and the general public.

“The water supply used by the fire services comes from the main supply so if the pressure drops for a time it will recover,” she said. “From a fire service perspective this hasn’t been raised formally with us.”

Earlier this month Uisce Éireann issued a statement urging members of the public to conserve water during the summer months. Head of Water Operations, Margaret Attridge, explained that water use typically increases during warm spells due to higher demand for gardening, leisure activities and tourism.

“While reservoirs, rivers and ground water sources recovered earlier this year, that does not guarantee water security for all areas in the months ahead. Our water system continues to face challenges from rising demand, and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. Even where supplies are stable, a period of dry or warm weather can quickly place pressure on some areas.”

Separately, Cllr Pat Kehoe said drivers of other large vehicles were visiting estates, with some depositing materials rather than collecting them.

“Tractors are also going into estates and emptying their slurry tanks into the sewerage system, it’s illegal to do this.”