‘People have got to be pragmatic about this’

MEMBERS of the public who were collecting emergency supplies of water from tankers at Blackpool Shopping Centre on Cork city’s northside yesterday were admirably level-headed about the whole affair, in spite of their concerns about getting through up to a week without direct access to one of life’s basics.

Michelle Murphy from Redemption Road in Cork city said she was just getting on with day-to-day activities as best she could and that practical solutions were being found, even for families with small children.

She expressed gratitude that her home wasn’t ruined as a result of the deluge and spoke of going to friends and family in order to do her laundry.

“We bought a 210 litre garden butt. We filled it up so we are pretty ok on flushing the toilet and stuff like that.

“You have got to be pragmatic about these things. Our house is dry and wasn’t damaged.

“People need to get on with it. Practically, what I am going to have to do is call out to friends and family.

“Laundry is going to be my biggest thing for the baby and stuff like that.

“It is not the entire city so I can call to friends. My biggest concern is boiled water. I want to be totally guaranteed that it is not contaminated.”

Members of the public formed an orderly queue as water was dispensed from a Dairygold tanker outside Blackpool Shopping Centre yesterday.

A number of people said dealing with small children was not the problem but instead the voice of discontent was emanating from teenagers who have never known anything but a constant supply of water.

One grandmother, who declined to be named, said her “Celtic Tiger” granddaughter was completely dumbfounded by the unavailability of water.

“The small grand-children are fine. They just go to cousins for baths. It is the older ones. They can’t get over it that it is not being sorted straight away.

“They are so used to everything being done for them that they are giving out at having to drive down somewhere to get washed or to wash clothes. None of them ever knew having to heat up the kettle for a bath so this is something new for them.

“I suppose older people know what it’s like to bring big basins of water up for a bath. My granddaughter was worried about washing her hair for blow-drying it straight.”

Charlie Buckley who lives in Farranree, Cork, said the situation was difficult for families with small children.

He brought his six-month-old grandchild out to relatives with access to water in Whitechurch but said it was going to be a chaotic week at his home.

“Toilets and stuff are ridiculous. The situation is bad. I don’t know how long it is going to last.”

Martina Sheppard from Dublin Hill, Cork, also said it was hard to cope without water as she has three children aged 4, 14, and 17.

She lost her supply on Saturday and was busy yesterday trying to get herself sorted for a week without water.

Thomas Duggan from The Glen on Cork’s northside stocked up on two barrels of water to fill baths at home for his children, who are two and five.

He said that he had never experienced anything like this in all his years in The Glen.

However, on a positive note his five-year-old son is more than happy to have a week off school.

Meanwhile, Finbarr Redmond who was handing out water supplies said members of the public who queued for water were on the whole very appreciative of their efforts.

“Once people get water from us they are ok. They are grand now in all fairness. People have been giving us soup and sandwiches all the time.

“I have been here from 8am to 10pm for the last three days and I think I will be here at least another three days.”

The lack of water was also impacting on area businesses on the northside yesterday. At Blackpool Shopping Centre, Byran Mason, of the Butchers Block, said the loss of water was a major inconvenience but that with the supply of water from the tanker they would continue to trade.

The water issue was also impacting on the Boston Barber shop in Blackpool, which has only been in business for two days.

Leona Coleman, whose brother Greg opened the business on Friday, said they were doing everything they could to soldier on.

“Yesterday we had water so we had a lot of people coming in to get their hair washed for christenings and that.

“We are using a spray bottle. We are doing dry cuts and people are reverting to that as opposed to getting their hair washed.”