Residents face further disruption to water supply

THE water supply to vast swathes of Cork’s suburbs will continue to be shut off over the next two nights in one of the largest maintenance projects ever undertaken on the city’s water network.

City council engineers began the series of rolling cut-offs last night in the Blackrock and Ballinlough areas.

They switched off the mains water supply until five o’clock this morning and bled water from hydrants through the pipes to scour them and clear any build-ups of silt.

The work will continue tonight in the Glasheen and Togher areas, before moving to the Bishopstown and western suburbs tomorrow night, Thursday.

The supply to thousands of homes will be disrupted between 10pm and 5am each night.

Gerry O’Beirne, the head of the city’s environment directorate, said disruption will be kept to a minimum and that engineers will have special regard for hospitals and large commercial institutions.

And he stressed there will be little impact on ordinary householders.

“Sections of piping will be done at a time and will be completed in a matter of minutes,” he said.

But the mains water will be switched off for the duration of the works.

“Every effort will be made to keep the disruption to a minimum,” he said.

The council has asked householders to ensure that all taps are in the closed position for the period of the shut-off.

It has also advised that some slight discolouration may occur when the water is restored.

“This discolouration is harmless and will clear in a short time,” a spokesman said.

Householders have been advised to check the clarity of the water at the kitchen tap before using it, particularly when operating drink vending machines, washing machines and dishwashers.

The council has also asked people to inform elderly neighbours or people living on their own of the planned works.

* Water Services Department telephone: [phone] or 021 4924228