Four months to repair leak despite complaints

A Clare man has revealed it took four months to repair an external leak that was "like a river", despite making extensive representations to Irish Water and its agents Clare County Council.

Anthony McNamara, of Main St, Tulla, a well-known accordion player, estimates it could have cost him €10,000 if he had to pay for the tens of thousands of litres of water which flowed under his house for months without a resolution.

In fact, Mr McNamara said he could hear the water, the equivalent of two taps running all day, from upstairs inside his house.

Having first contacted Irish Water on May 20, he said this major leak wasn’t fixed by the council until September 18.

He saw a water meter outside his property spinning furiously, which prompted his concern.

Although Irish Water stated he was not on its database because it didn’t install this meter, he doesn’t know who put it in place.

He said his experience makes a mockery of statements made by the Government and Irish Water about the importance of water conservation.

Mr McNamara said he contacted the council first and left messages but no one called him back and telephoning Irish Water was “a waste of time”. When he contacted Irish Water it promised to contact him within 24 hours but never did, following subsequent contacts he was told it couldn’t find him on its database because it didn’t install the meter.

When he was told that Irish Water or the council would repair a leak if it was within 225 mm of the property boundary. He says the council wasn’t aware of this policy.