Hospital left without water over pipe breaks

Multiple breaks in a mains pipe that left patients at a community hospital in Cork without water on several occasions have been described “as a national disgrace which wouldn’t happen in Outer Mongolia”.

Senior engineers from Cork County Council have promised to try and seek a solution to the problem which has plagued the 72-patient Fermoy Community Hospital since October.

The local authority submitted the project to the Department of the Environment for grant aid last March as one of six mains in North Cork in need of urgent replacement.

However, the council received no funding for the 700m pipe, which runs from Courthouse Rd to the hospital.

Cllr Noel McCarthy (Lab) said the mains pipe suffered four breaks in nine days last October and within the last fortnight, had a further six significant leaks.

“One day, the hospital was without water for more than 12 hours. Staff had to go to the local Lidl or SuperValu to get bottled water for the patients. This is a national disgrace. It wouldn’t happen in Outer Mongolia,” Mr McCarthy said.

The OPW is due to raise the height of Courthouse Rd in 18 months’ time as part of major, and continuing, flood-prevention works in the town.

However, Mr McCarthy said he hoped the OPW would carry out the work much sooner which would enable the council to dig up and replace the pipe.

“I don’t see the council replacing it now when it will have to be dug up again in 18 months’ time. The OPW should bring its project forward,” he said.

As a temporary measure, he is hoping council engineers will agree to lay a new overground 3in pipe from the town out to the hospital to provide a secure supply.

“The repairs that have been done so far are patching, like putting a sticking plaster on a sticking plaster,” Cllr Frank O’Flynn (FF) said. “The amount of money it has cost, so far, to repair would have paid for a new pipe.”

His party colleague, Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe, also described the situation as “unacceptable”.

Acting county engineer Bob Farrell said the council did not have the money at present to lay down a new mains pipe. He said the county engineer was in talks with the OPW to find a solution to the problem.

“Hopefully we can stabilise the situation,” Mr Farrell said.