'Dire and shocking’ water supply issues in rural Waterford 

The areas of Kill, Dunhill, Bonmahon, Fenor, Kilmeaden, Ballylaneen and further afield have been facing serious water quality and supply issues.

“The supply issues that these areas are facing at the moment are dire and shocking,” Cllr Catherine Burke said last week.

 “I had somebody onto me yesterday who said they had to wash their clothes in machines at the petrol station because their own water isn’t clean coming through the tap.

“I’m acutely aware that we’re going through a particularly hot weather period but at the same time people do need an adequate drinking water supply in our area and this happened last summer as well.” 

Cllr  Burke asked Waterford City and County Council Senior Management last week when these areas can expect to be connected to the Adamstown Treatment Plant in Kilmeaden, and if this will solve the ongoing issues.

A €19m upgrade of the Adamstown Plant was announced last August. It currently provides 70% of Waterford’s water supply to customers in the city and county.

Waterford Council Director of Services, Gabriel Hynes, said that connecting these areas to the plant should solve the issues.

“It is a significant plant with three significant sources coming from rivers and there are 24 hour staff there," he said.

“Once the regions you have mentioned are connected up, you will have a far better supply from a security point of view and from a quality point of view. From an infrastructural point of view, from a housing point of view, this is very positive for the areas you’ve mentioned.” 

Mr. Hynes was unable to provide a timeline for completion, but said that one could be procured from Uisce Éireann.