A Tipperary town left without tap water following the discovery of high levels of aluminium is entering a second week of uncertainty over future safe supply.
Almost 11,500 residents of Ardfinnan and surrounding areas received warnings from Uisce Éireann last Friday night telling them not to drink the water under any circumstances.
It came after four months of being under a boil water notice because of concerns over possible bacterial contamination – a position they were also in for several months late last year.
[ Uisce Éireann pays performance-related bonus to 97% of staffOpens in new window ]
Local people are tiring of the recurring problems and want them fixed without delay.
“It has been a week from hell,” said local Independent Cllr Máirín McGrath.
She said last Friday’s notice was missed by many and followed by fears over what people had consumed.
“The communication was very poor and the first deliveries of bottled water were badly handled. People didn’t know if there was more to come or how long they’d be without, so there were people loading up cars with multiple five -litre drums and others left with nothing.”
Since then, Uisce Éireann has been regularly replenishing supplies of bottled and tankered water and delivering directly to the homes of vulnerable customers.
But upset remains over the repeated disruption and the length of time it is taking Uisce Éireann to upgrade the Goatenbridge Water Treatment Plant that serves the area.
Husband and wife Tom and Carmel O’Mahoney, owners of Tim’s Coffee Shop in Ardfinnan, took the decision to close out of concern for their customers’ health.
“My wife has found the whole situation particularly upsetting,” said Tom O’Mahoney. “Tim’s Coffee is a small community coffee shop ... She has worried about people who may have consumed the water, including pregnant customers ... The uncertainty has weighed heavily on her.”
Aluminium is used in water treatment to bind and draw out impurities, but at high levels it can be toxic, particularly to people with underlying health conditions and young children.
Uisce Éireann said, “process issues at Goatenbridge Water Treatment Plant caused intermittent spikes in aluminium levels in the water”.
This happened in “early September” and experts “worked hard to resolve the issue” but several automatic shutdowns followed.
To prevent further shutdowns and keep water flowing to homes and businesses for sanitation purposes, safety features had to be disabled so the water was no longer safe to consume.
It said it was in close consultation with the Health Service Executive throughout.
McGrath said the problems in early September should have been disclosed to the public. She obtained records under Freedom of Information that showed levels of aluminium well above EU and World Health Organisation limits in the weeks since then.
Uisce Éireann said it had now completed critical upgrades at the Goatenbridge plant.
[ Improving water system to cost €50bn, Uisce Éireann tells Oireachtas groupOpens in new window ]
“With the works now complete, our teams will monitor the plant’s performance throughout the weekend,” it said.
“Comprehensive sampling is also under way at the plant and across the regional network. The results will provide the evidence needed to consult with the HSE and decide when the notice can be safely lifted.”
Tom O’Mahony said locals and businesses deserved better.
“We appreciate that problems can occur and that infrastructure works take time, but people need honest communication and realistic timelines. At present, we have neither,” he said.
“We’re not looking for sympathy. We simply want a safe and reliable water supply, clear communication, and some certainty so that businesses and staff can plan accordingly.”