“They have to pull rats and badgers from their public water supply” McGuinness challenges Taoiseach on water supply scandal

Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Conor McGuinness, has told the Taoiseach that two households in Mahon Bridge are being forced to drink and wash in contaminated water drawn from a roadside stream where rats and badgers have had to be physically removed from the supply.

During Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil this week, Deputy McGuinness held up a bottle of the filthy water and challenged the Taoiseach to intervene, saying no household in 2025 should be left without safe drinking water.

“These are council-built cottages, constructed in 1949. The water supply was installed by the local authority at the time, and 75 years later, it’s still in use,” said Deputy McGuinness.

“It’s an open roadside stream running off an upland bog. The water is untreated. It’s dark, muddy, and smells. On multiple occasions, the residents have had to remove dead rats and badgers from the watercourse. This is what comes through their taps — and health authorities have warned them it’s not even safe for handwashing.” 

Deputy McGuinness said a new public water supply runs through the nearby townland of Fews, approximately 500 metres away. 

Local authority engineers have prepared a scheme of works to connect the homes, including the necessary bore beneath the regional road. 

According to Deputy McGuinness, Uisce Éireann has refused to fund the project and has instead referred the residents to the rural well grant scheme.

“That is simply not viable. Multiple professional well drilling firms have confirmed that the area has poor groundwater yield and dangerously high iron levels. Any private well would be unsafe and ineffective.”

 “This is not a private water scheme. It is a legacy supply installed by the State — and the State remains responsible. These households are entitled to the same clean, safe, treated water that others receive. They are living with filthy, contaminated water and nothing has been done to fix it.” 

McGuinness confirmed he has raised the matter with the Minister for Housing and directly with Uisce Éireann, and said he will be following up again with the Taoiseach.