Irish Water rejects pleas of residents in protected estate

The residents of a listed Victorian-era estate have appealed to Irish Water to exclude their historic homes from its water metering programme amid fears the work could damage their homes.

Home owners in 19th century Thomond Square off Cork’s Old Blackrock Rd said they have serious concerns that the drilling of 19 holes for water meters could cause extensive damage to the properties in an area where subsidence is already a problem.

“This is not about water charges or the installation of water meters per se,” said residents’ spokesman Pat Talbot. “Thomond Square, like the rest of the country, has a cross-section of viewpoints on the water charges issue.