Schools, community groups and parishes in Waterford can apply for road salt
Man removing snow
Waterford council have said that if schools and community groups have storage space, they will provide salt for road gritting.
Senior Engineer at Waterford City and County Council, Gabriel Hynes was responding to a call from Councillor John Pratt at this month’s sitting of Dungarvan-Lismore District Council.
“If any community groups, parishes or schools want salt, it can certainly be provided. And what I would advise people, as I have done in the past, is that each group, parish or school should have a location where salt can be stored. We will provide the salt, and then at the severe weather event, they will have salt to treat their footpaths,” said Mr Hynes.
Cllr Pratt asked the council to provide a way for local people to salt their own roads. He said that salt often doesn't reach rural areas and local people could contribute to treatment efforts.
Cllr Donnchadh Mulcahy supported his district colleague’s call.
“I think it would be very beneficial for people living in rural areas like Ballysaggart that could come in and grab some like a boot full or maybe a trailer full and use it in their own little areas," said Cllr Mulcahy.
Mr Hynes said they have a policy where schools and community groups can get salt if they have somewhere to store it.
“If they provide bins, we will provide salt, and we have no issue doing that so long as they have a secure area to store it, we will make sure that is topped up,” said Mr Hynes.
He also said that the council tipped salt previously, but it led to inappropriate gritting.
“It can lead to more safety issues giving salt,” Mr Hynes.
Several councillors commended the council staff who worked through the recent severe weather events to keep the roads open. Mr Hynes said the staff worked extremely hard to ensure 700km of road was treated.
“I need to acknowledge the work that was done. For a week, we had crews going 24 hours, not just in Dungarvan but in the city, said Mr Hynes.
