Tipperary was one of worst hit counties for electricity and water supply outages during Storm Ellen

Tipperary was one of the county’s worst hit by Storm Ellen last week with 35,000 homes, farms and businesses losing electricity supply and thousands also losing water supply. 

ESB Networks spokesman Paul Hand said Tipperary was one of the county’s most severely hit by Storm Ellen with a peak of 35,000 customers in the county losing electricity supply. 

He said ESB Networks crews worked through Thursday in challenging weather conditions to restore approximately 80 percent of customers who suffered power outages in Tipperary. 

“While the damage was widespread in the county with more than  200 individual fault sites, the worst hit areas included Emly, Bansha and Knocklong,” he outlined.   

Mr Hand pointed out  ESB Networks crews from as far away as Donegal, Dundalk, Newcastlewest and Enniscorthy were drafted in to bolster the restoration efforts of local crews in Tipperary through Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 

“Approximately 400 customers in the county remained without power by Saturday night. Crews continued their efforts to restore power to remaining more isolated pockets of customers through Sunday.”

Mr Hand reported that all customers impacted by Storm Ellen have how had their supply restored.

“ESB Networks is acutely aware of the strain that these outages placed on the family and commercial lives of those who were impacted, particularly those who remained without power over some of the weekend, and would like to apologise for the disruption caused.”

 He added that ESB Networks area manager for Tipperary Declan Sheehan wishes to record his appreciation for the forbearance and good wishes offered to their crews on the ground by people in south Tipperary while they continued the restoration efforts. Irish Water said Tipperary was the county worst affected by water outages caused by Storm Ellen in the southern part of the country. 

Irish Water spokesman Colm Ward said Clonmel, Tipperary and Cashel were the big urban centres hit by water supply disruptions due to the storm. 

He estimated about 4,000 customers in Clonmel and 5,000 customers  in Tipperary Town suffered water outages.

   A lot of smaller water schemes around the county were also impacted by the storm. 

Electricity outages caused many of the water supply disruptions as pumping stations and treatment plants were unable to operate without electricity.  Water schemes impacted in this way included Ardfinnan, the Galtee Scheme, Springmount, Cordangan, Dundrum, Newport, Kilcommon, Templetny, Kilfeacle, Terryglass and Lisnagaul.

In Clonmel town, he said heavy rains with resulting turbidity and debris, led to production issues at the Glenary and Poulavanogue water treatment plants, causing supply disruption to parts of the town centre and outlying areas.

Mr Ward said crews from Irish Water and Tipperary County Council were on the ground as soon as it was safe to do so and worked throughout the week to restore supplies. 

In some places, where it took longer to restore supply, including Clonmel, Tipperary Town and Cashel, water tankers were deployed.

Mr Ward reported that most water supplies in Tipperary disrupted due to Storm Ellen were restored by last Friday evening and all were restored by Saturday.

“Irish Water would like to acknowledge the efforts of the crews in restoring supply and thank the public for their patience and understanding throughout,” he added.