GALWAY
WITH UP to 80,000 homes in Galway city and county affected by water cuts or restrictions, supply is to be turned off "without notice" at unoccupied properties.
The move is being undertaken by Galway County Council, which also warns that demand for water is 2½ times more than its supply from depleted reservoirs.
Water tankers were also due to be rolled out in the city area last night, amid criticism of lack of communication by Galway City Council of its plans to deal with the situation.
Many homes and businesses in the county have been without water for almost two weeks and city areas have also been affected. Burst pipes and other faults in the mains system have been attributed to last week's cold spell.
Galway acting city manager Ciarán Hayes said crews were working "round the clock" on detecting and repairing water leaks.
However, former mayor and Fine Gael councillor Pádraig Conneely said he believed there was a serious information deficit about what was actually happening "on the ground". He reiterated his call on Galway mayor Mike Crowe (FF) to call an emergency meeting.
Mr Crowe said he felt the local authority was doing all it could, but acknowledged the "information void".
Mr Hayes said that efforts were also being made to ensure businesses had sufficient supply for New Year's Eve.
Some tenants in local authority housing schemes were being transferred to emergency accommodation due to burst pipes, he said.
Water tanks were being deployed to Doughuisce on the east side and Miller's Lane on the west side of the city last evening, he said, but he warned that this water must be boiled.
All areas would experience low pressure and there would still be intermittent breaks in supply, until reservoir levels recovered, Mr Hayes indicated.
Galway County Council's action to turn off supply to unoccupied properties comes some days after an appeal to property owners to check on unoccupied premises.
All Galway county water supplies are being switched off between 9pm and 9am daily. LORNA SIGGINS
CORK
Householders in Cork city were again affected by ongoing restrictions in water supply yesterday, particularly on the northside of the city as crews continued their work repairing leaks on the mains water supply.
Demand for water remained high and restrictions were imposed overnight in areas of high leakage, including in Blackpool and Farranree.
A spokesman for Cork City Council said work by members of the public to repair and to minimise water leaks over the past few days have had a positive effect on the water supply in the city.
He appealed to property owners to continue to check vacant premises.
Ted Tynan, a Workers Party councillor, said many people living in areas on the northside such as Lotamore who have not had water for the past eight or nine days got water back yesterday afternoon and were "delighted".
In Co Cork yesterday, water restrictions continued in Mallow and Fermoy.
In Fermoy a section of the town had water from just midday to 3pm.
Aileen Pyne (Fine Gael) of Fermoy Town Council said that by the beginning to the middle of next week, it was hoped the water situation would be back to normal.
Water production was at significantly increased levels throughout west Cork and there were shortages in some areas. GEORGINA O'HALLORAN
LIMERICK
Water supplies in parts of Co Limerick were shut off last night as the local authority continued to carry out repairs.
Limerick County Council said it was necessary to shut off the supply in certain areas following the recent thaw and the low levels in reservoirs.
Water was due to be restored at 9am today in Athea, Glin, Dromcollogher, Broadford, Newcastle West and Rathkeale.
Other areas due to experience reduced water pressure or shut- offs include Oola, Pallasgreen, Herberstown, Kilteely and Kilfinane.
"Where there are water shut- offs, it can take a number of hours for areas at the extremity of water mains and hilly areas to have their water supply restored once the supply is turned back on," a spokesman said.
"In addition, due to breakages in water mains, unannounced disruptions to water supply can also be expected during daytime hours pending repairs of such breakages," he added.
Disruptions to services in Limerick city may continue for a few more days, according to a spokesman for Limerick City Council, who said the situation was improving. Demand for water was running at 1½ times the normal amount yesterday as some homes began to receive water after several days with no supply.
Callers also experienced problems connecting with Limerick City Council's emergency line, such was the volume of calls.
Four "localised breakages" in the water pipe network reduced pressure around Clonmacken, Ballincurra Gardens, Irish Estates and Ennis Road, leaving many homes without water.
According to Joe Delaney, of Limerick City Council, the situation has improved. KATHRYN HAYES