The ongoing current issue of water restrictions in the Mountmellick Road area of Portlaoise was addressed at today’s meeting of Laois County Council.
Due to low levels in a reservoir on the Mountmellick Road side of the town, Irish Water have placed restrictions by turning off the water between 10pm and 6am every day.
The restrictions came into place on Sunday week last, July 18, and were due to end on Saturday.
But councillors have expressed extreme frustration with Irish Water at today’s meeting held in the Dunamaise Arts Centre and also hosted on Microsoft Teams.
Cllrs Caroline Dwane-Stanley and Thomasina Connell both said that there have been incidents of the water being turned off earlier than it should have been and returned later.
And along with Cllr Willie Aird, all three hit out at the communication from Irish Water on the issue.
“It has huge impact on people,” said Cllr Dwane-Stanley. “You’re talking the Mountmellick Road, Ridge Road, Esker Hills – there is well over 1,000 homes effected.
“There has been a totally unacceptable level communication from Irish Water. Irish Water are funded by the tax payer but feel they have no responsibility to the public or to us as public representatives.”
“It’s totally unacceptable,” added Cllr Willie Aird. “There is a huge underlying problem dealing with Irish Water and it’s going to take a minister to sort it out.
“I want to know who the people are that we should contact. Who is Mr Water up in headquarters making the decisions?”
“To turn off water for 14 hours is disgraceful,” said Cllr Connell. “It’s disgraceful that this is allowed to happen and it’s not acceptable. People were leaving for work in the morning without the water being back.”
Simon Walton, who is Director of Services for Laois County Council, explained that there are eight boreholes in Portlaoise servicing the water demands of the town.
In total they supply 8,000 cubic metres of water on a daily basis (over 1.76 million gallons) but during the early days of last week demand was up to 8,800 cubic metres.
“The current yield in the system is at the nub of the problem with demand exceeding that.
“The reservoir did fill over the course of the weekend but the solution lies in the development of three additional wells at Coolbanagher that have to be connected to Portlaoise.”
Mr Walton said that this development would increase the overall capacity by 4,000 cubic metres and meet the future development needs of Portlaoise.
He added that Irish Water approved a €200,000 grant to allow connection of the first of those Coolbanagher wells in early June – and it will be completed in early September.
“It is possible there will be further water restrictions in the next couple of weeks but beyond that I don’t foresee any additional problems.”
He agreed with the councillors on the issue of an “absence of communicational, lack of basic communication” from Irish Water which he said “amounted to a notice on their website on Sunday at lunch time” about restrictions from that night.
“Rest assured I will bring your concerns to Irish Water. Ultimately they will have to accept that.”
SEE ALSO – James McKeon ready for the latest chapter as strong family tradition carries on
