Water outages in Clonmel and Kilcash highlighted at Tipperary Council meeting

Councillors highlighted recent water supply outages in Clonmel and Kilcash and their impact on residents at Tipperary County Council’s January meeting.
Cllr Siobhán Ambrose told council management there had been a number of water outages in Kilcash village and the local school had an issue with its supply.
The Fianna Fáil councillor said the source of the problem was the need to replace an 800m asbestos pipe and there was a need to look at finding a different water source for the community’s supply.
Fellow Clonmel Cllr Richie Molloy highlighted how there were a number of water outages in Clonmel over the Christmas period that affected households in Bianconi Drive, Barron Park, Ard Gaoithe and Cashel Road area of the town.
He pointed out that after the water was restored to homes, a number of residents had to engage plumbers to get rid of air locks, which was an added cost to them.
“People feel very hard done by. They think the (water) network is not fit for purpose. We really have to do something,” he said.
The council’s planning and Water Services Director Eamon Lonergan responded that the water supply network was getting old and the problems with it were getting bigger. Senior Water Services Engineer Denis Holland said it was true that in recent months there has been an increase in the number of disruptions to water supplies. He pointed out the council’s ability to respond to these was tempered a little because of the pandemic. He reported Tipperary County Council had proposals for Irish Water for an “enhanced” programme of rehabilitation works on water mains this year. He promised to update councillors on this at their Municipal District meetings.
But he noted that at the end of the day the budget available to Irish Water constrained the utility in what it could deliver.
Mr Holland added that there will be a workshop with Irish Water representatives in April where councillors can raise issues in relation to the operation and maintenance of drinking water supplies and waste water services.