All but 8,000 homes to have water supply restored by this evening

WATER was being restored to a number of areas in Cork city yesterday and last night council officials said that all but 8,000 homes would have their supply restored by early this evening.

The areas which have already had their supply turned on include Lee Road, Sunday’s Well Road, North Mall, Shandon Street, Great William O’Brien Street, Watercourse Road, Thomas Davis Street, Commons Road to the junction with Popham’s Road, and Blarney Street.

City Council officials said that some of those areas had their supplies served from the water reservoir in Shanakiel and, as each reservoir and pumping station came on stream after last week’s flooding, more homes and businesses would see their supply restored over the weekend.

“We are working flat out,” said a council spokesperson last night. “We hope to have all but about 8,000 homes and businesses up an running some time this evening.”

City council officials advised that even though supply had been restored in these areas, a boil water notice would remain in place as a precaution until it had been verified that all mains supplies were free of contamination. The boil water notice will remain in place in all areas of the River Lee’s north channel for the moment.

In response to a call by Socialist Party Cllr Mick Barry, city officials said it wasn’t possible to tanker in enough water to fill the reservoirs on the northside when the emergency struck.

Meanwhile, Cork County Council employees will start moving equipment back into their County Hall headquarters on Monday.

Sharon Corcoran, the council’s director of services, said County Hall would be fully open for business next Tuesday.

The employees were forced to move to the Model Business Park after floods hit their headquarters last Thursday week.

Ms Corcoran said the flood-damaged county library would remain closed until further notice. She said the other exception was the public planning office which would also remain at the Model Business Park until further notice.

Boiled water notices were lifted yesterday in Inchigeelagh and Clondrohid. A similar notice has yet to be lifted in Ballineen.

Cork County Council said last night that it was continuing to collect flood damaged material from business premises and households around the county and to dispose of it at its civic amenity sites free of charge.