City launches ‘frozen pipes’ survey to help plan for future big freezes

A CITY which escaped major water disruption during the big freeze has launched a ‘frozen pipes’ survey to help plan for future water crises.

The severe weather in late December and early January, combined with burst pipes during the thaw, caused unprecedented disruption to the public water supply to thousands of homes across the country.

Several local authorities were forced to cut off water supplies while leaks in their public water supply networks were repaired, and to restrict water supplies while reservoir capacity was restored.

However, Waterford city escaped the worst effects.

While individual householders experienced frozen pipes and stopcocks, the public water supply network suffered a relatively small number of breaks.

Investment in a new reservoir and water tower at Bawndaw, which opened last summer on the Knockhouse Road on the northside of the city, provided the city with an extra 8,800 cubic metres of storage capacity.

Conor O’Neill, a senior executive engineer in Waterford City Council’s water services directorate, said the lack of leaks and extra storage meant that at no stage did city officials have to restrict water supplies to residents.

The council did deliver water to vulnerable households and provided two water tankers.

Despite the lack of disruption, the local authority has decided to conduct a frozen pipes survey to gauge the level of disruption.

Mr O’Neill said the proactive move targeting householders who were without water is designed to give officials a clearerpicture of:

* Exactly what areas were worst affected;

* Whether the problems were with private pipes, or with the external stopcocks and pipes;

* Whether stopcocks are buried deep enough;

* Whether people know how to turn off water to their homes.

Mr O’Neill said the results, which are expected early next month, will inform the council’s response to future severe weather and possible water crises.

The results will also allow the local authority to offer improved advice to householders.

The survey can be completed online at www.waterfordcity.ie.