Uisce Éireann comes under fire following further water outages in West Waterford
The widespread disruptions to the public water supply are affecting residents and businesses in a number of areas in West Waterford this morning
Local Sinn Féin Councillor Kate O’Mahoney has criticised Uisce Éireann’s "ongoing failure" to provide timely and clear communication to customers following further water supply outages affecting Dungarvan and Abbeyside today, Thursday, October 29.
The widespread disruptions to the public water supply are affecting residents and businesses in a number of areas in West Waterford this morning including Dungarvan, Abbeyside, Clonea and surrounding areas.
The water outages experienced this morning were caused by a burst water main, Uisce Éireann has said, which should be repaired later this evening.
Although an Uisce Éireann spokesperson has said customers in higher-lying areas or at the ends of the network may experience a longer wait while the water network refills.
Cllr. O’Mahoney said the latest disruption comes amid continuing concerns about how Uisce Éireann communicates with households, businesses and local representatives when water supplies are interrupted.
“This is an issue I have raised repeatedly, and it is extremely frustrating to see further disruption without the standard of communication that people have every right to expect.
“When a water outage occurs, people need clear, accurate and timely information," she said.
"They need to know what has happened, which areas are affected, how long the disruption is expected to last and when they can expect their supply to return. Businesses need this information to make decisions, while households need to plan around this essential service.
“While I understand outages are not always planned, too often, we are left looking for answers when we realise there are outages or discolouration in our water. That is simply not good enough."
This is not a new concern for the councillor, who raised issues with Uisce Éireann's "poor communication" at many recent council meetings.
At the July meeting of the Dungarvan-Lismore District, she supported calls for Waterford City and County Council to write to Uisce Éireann seeking an explanation for the repeated outages and poor communication experienced across Dungarvan, Abbeyside, Ballinroad, An Rinn and An Sean Phobal.
At the September District meeting, she again sought a follow-up from the Council, having previously highlighted the lack of timely updates during outages and the impact this was having on local businesses and residents.
“At our October District meeting, councillors received a response from Uisce Éireann, but I did not consider that response satisfactory," she said.
Given the ongoing nature of these problems, and the fact that concerns have already been raised on several occasions, elected members called for correspondence to be sent directly to the Executive level of Uisce Éireann.
“Uisce Éireann must explain what steps it will take to ensure that updates are accurate, consistent and issued promptly, and how it intends to improve communication with residents, businesses and local representatives," Cllr O'Mahoney continued,
“Our local communities deserve better. People understand that unexpected bursts and technical issues can happen, but they should not have to contend with confusing updates or struggle to establish what is happening in their own area.
“I will continue to press for answers on behalf of residents and businesses in and across the District and the wider West Waterford area. We need meaningful answers and a clear commitment from Uisce Éireann on how they will improve communication with the public when water supplies are disrupted.”
