Remaining Cork homes may get water restored today

WATER should be restored today to the hundreds of Cork city households still without supply almost 12 days after the flood.

Officials managing the civic emergency last night assured that engineers are still working flat out to reconnect the supply to several hundred homes in pockets of the southside.

While water was restored to most of the 16,000 homes on the northside of the city, people in Ballintemple, Deerpark, and parts of the Ballinlough and Boreenmana roads on the southside are still waiting.

It is hoped that they will be reconnected today.

And it is only when the water is restored to the entire city that the civic emergency will be declared over, officials said.

Their work was complicated yesterday when a water mains pipe on the South Douglas Road burst.

It was not clear whether the incident is related to the re-flow of water back into the system.

Already-stretched council resources were diverted to deal with that situation.

In the meantime, a boil notice remains in place and the city council will continue to provide free drinking water and water for sanitary purposes at emergency fill points.

Up to 18,000 households were left without water for almost a week after the flood swamped the city’s main water treatment plant on the Lee Road last Friday week.

Engineers worked around the clock last week to repair its pumps and electrical equipment and they fired the plant up last Thursday night.

They began replenishing the reservoirs on the northside and water was gradually restored to homes.

A boil water notice is still in place for all households north of the river Lee, and some areas outside the city’s northern boundary.

The council also advised consumers who do not have a clean mains water supply at a steady pressure to avoid using washing machines, dishwashers and pumped showers.

Council staff are still manning the Freefone number, 1800 283 034, from 8am to 10pm.

Meanwhile, the Health Service Executive issued new advice to the city’s food premises including restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs and sports venues.

The following precautions should be taken:

* All water for the purposes of food preparation and consumption should be boiled and allowed to cool before using. Only water which has been boiled, or bottled water, should be used for washing, cooking and making ice.

* After the water is boiled and unless it is to be used immediately, it must be kept in suitable clean containers and protected from risk of contamination.

* Ice must only be made from bottled or boiled water.

* Equipment, worktops, chopping boards, or other surfaces that come into direct or indirect contact with food must be cleaned and sanitised using boiled or bottled water.

* Crockery, cutlery and other such equipment can be washed using a dishwasher or double bowled sink where the rinse water is at least 82 degrees centigrade.

* Suitable antibacterial soap or hand sanitiser must be used for the washing of hands.

* Drinking water fountains/cold drink dispensers that are supplied directly by mains water should not be used while the boil water notice is in force.