Water, water, Irish Water anyone?

A recent incident involving brown water coming from the taps in Cnoc na Greine estate resolved itself during the day, but it highlighted difficulties in communication with Irish Water, writes Brian Byrne.

The issue was noticed by a number of residents early in the day, with the unclear water coming from taps connected to the estate's mains. Also, when one resident put on a white wash everything in the machine came out brown.

An initial query to Irish Water was responded to with an advice not to drink the water, and that the matter would be investigated, with a callback promised.

There was no call back. The resident called Irish Water three times in the course of the day, each time getting a different representative.

After the first call, the resident noticed a truck in the estate, working on flushing the sewerage system. On his second call, he wondered if this was the cause of the problem, and if sewerage was somehow getting into the mains water?

On the third call to Irish Water, he was told that there was a note on their system that the sewerage system was being flushed. But he could get no assurance that the tap water was safe to drink. "I wanted her to confirm that Irish Water confirmed that the water was safe to drink," he says. "She refused but kept mentioning 'local authority' or 'council'. I asked for the report again, No answer. I asked to speak to her supervisor. 'Oh I don't know if I can get him. I think he is in a meeting'. I insisted and she still wouldn't. I told her I was very unhappy with this. So I politely finished our conversation."

The resident called Kildare County Council, who referred him to the Water Section in Newbridge, reminding him that the Council no longer had responsibility for water — which he knew. "When I talked to a Sharon in Water Section she was really helpful. She again reminded me that water management and supply was not the responsibility of Kildare County Council. However ... she was completely aware of the situation ... and explained that in 'flushing the system' that they connect to water hydrants (on mains) and that this causes the discolouration. That it happens regularly and there was no need for alarm."

The resident also left a message for Cllr Sorcha O'Neill who rang back and talked through the whole issue with more reassurance.

"So, lesson learned. Ring the Council about water problems, even if they are not its responsibility! Irish Water don't actually know what is happening. Incidentally, it was Irish Water which contracted McBreen Environmental to do the work in the estate, despite saying it was the Council ... our estate hasn't been taken in charge yet by Kildare County Council."

ED NOTE: A story for our times, of the perils of centralisation even in our small country. HSE, Irish Water, taking away local funding from councils, etc. There's definitely a case to bring back responsibility to those who have the local knowledge?

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