CORK-GALWAY:WATER SHORTAGES are set to continue across Cork city and county over the next number of days, while in Galway, a former mayor has criticised the response of local authorities to the water crisis in the city and county.
Hundreds of householders in Cork city have been affected by ongoing restrictions in water supply, particularly on the north side of the city, including parts of Blackpool and Mayfield.
Stand pipes have been set up on the northside at Blackpool church and on the Old Youghal Road at Collins Barracks and Glenamoy Lawn and at Boreenamanna Road and Deerpark on the southside of the city.
A salvage operation was under way at the offices of Cork Business Association on Winthrop Street, which were flooded when a water tank burst.
Cork County Council crews were repairing leaks throughout Fermoy, while efforts to restore the supply in Mallow suffered a major setback after an ESB transformer blew near the water pump house at Dromore.
The former mayor of Galway, Councillor Pádraig Conneely, said householders in Galway city and county had great difficulty in contacting the local authority in their area. Householders in the city had to ring a call centre in Cork to contact the city council’s emergency response team, he said.
Hundreds of houses and businesses had been without water for almost a week and the problem is being exacerbated by a lack of information, Mr Conneely added. The lack of water was an emergency but the council response was less than satisfactory, he said.
Ciarán Hayes, director of services with Galway City Council, said the emergency hotline was working well as it afforded the general public a chance to contact the emergency response services directly.
Residents of one Co Meath village, who have not had water for nine days, received emergency relief after threatening to stage a protest outside the home of Government Minister Noel Dempsey.
A tanker arrived yesterday lunchtime to the residents of Kildalkey, near Trim, and filled three industrial bulk containers with water.