5,000 homes left without water after city’s pipes burst

THOUSANDS of homes in Cork city’s northside were left without water following severe water disruption caused by broken pipes.

Emergency crews were forced to ferry water to both Marymount Hospice and Cheshire Home.

Bottled water was distributed to cancer patients at the hospice after two of the city’s biggest mains burst.

Two teams of city council engineers worked flat out yesterday to repair the damage and restore water supplies to 5,000 homes.

The pipes were fixed just before 6pm last night.

However, senior engineers were watching the system carefully to ensure there were no further breakages.

It could be later today before full water pressure is restored to all affected areas.

“We would ask people in areas of the city not affected to use water sparingly and avoid use for gardens and washing cars,” a council spokesman said.

The first pipe burst at 9pm on Thursday at Church Street, off Shandon Street.

It was not clear last night what caused it to burst.

Thousands of litres of water cascaded down Shandon Street and damaged some homes before council workers managed to shut off the supply 45 minutes later.

They rerouted the supply but a pipe on Military Hill burst at 2am yesterday.

The damage left a third of the northside — up to 5,000 homes in Ballyvolane, Old Youghal Road, Ballyhooley Road, Rathmore Road, Wellington Road and Middle Glanmire Road — without water. The council prioritised the hospice and Cheshire Home. The city fire service filled water tanks at the hospice and patients were given bottled water.

Anyone critically dependent on water, such as home dialysis users or nursing homes, should ring the council’s water services section on 021-4924145 if problems persist.