9-month wait to fix ‘Third World’ water supply

Hard-pressed residents of a Cork village must wait at least nine more months before work is undertaken to fix their "Third World" water supply.

For the last few years, the people of Kildorrery have had to endure multiple breaks in their mains, or, a trickle of water due to poor pressure.

They were told a major upgrade of their water supply infrastructure would take place earlier this year, but then county councillors were informed a contractor will not be on site until next April, at the earliest.

Kildorrery Water Action Committee secretary Pat O’Brien described the delay as “horrific”, and he believes many of the villagers will refuse to pay water charges until they have a proper supply.

Like many parents, he must send his children to relatives’ for showers.

“The showers go from extremes of freezing cold to scalding hot. We’ve had these problems for the last couple of years,” he said.

Noreen Magnier, who owns a hairdressing salon in the village, said that in recent months the situation had deteriorated and she “finds it increasingly hard to keep [her business] going”.

Like many residents, she has phoned Irish Water on numerous occasions to complain, and she says staff admit they don’t even know the location of Kildorrery.

Cllr Frank O’Flynn (FF), who raised the issue at the county council’s Northern Division meeting this week, said he’d had the same experience when ringing Irish Water, which has taken over the running of supplies from the county council.

“On October 16 last, we were told the money was there for this project and that it would start last spring. Now, we’re told a contractor won’t be on site until next April, at the earliest. I’d say to Irish Water: Hands off charging the people of Kildorrery. They better fix this before they put in any meters,” said Cllr O’Flynn, who added that businesses had closed down or suffered significant losses.

Cllr Kevin O’Keeffe said: “We were told the problem was because there was more water being used, but there hasn’t been a house built in Kildorrery for the last five years.”

Cllr Kay Dawson (FG) said the village had a “Third-World supply”.

Councillors opted to email Irish Water seeking a meeting in an attempt to fast-track the project.