'I wouldn’t water my flowers with what’s coming out of the taps' on Cork's northside

'I wouldn’t water my flowers with what’s coming out of the taps at the moment'.

The ministers for health and the environment have been challenged to drink a pint of water from a tap on Cork’s northside where the drinking water for thousands of households has turned brown.

Independent city councillor Kenneth O’Flynn issued the invite after Uisce Éireann confirmed on Tuesday that it has seen a five-fold increase in complaints about discoloured water from areas across the city’s northside in recent weeks.

“I wouldn’t water my flowers with what’s coming out of the taps at the moment,” Mr O’Flynn said.

“Clothes and new bedding have been destroyed in peoples’ washing machines because of the brown water and sediment coming through the system.

“And that’s before we get to the health aspect. People can’t prepare food with the water, people can’t make a baby’s bottle with it.

“I know of people who are pinned to their collar but who have no option now but to buy litres of bottled water.” 

Brown water on the northside of Cork City

Uisce Éireann insisted that it is not linked to a change in the chemical treatment of the water which was blamed for similar problems in the water supply to the northside from July to October 2022, as the new Lee Road water treatment plant was being commissioned.

This time, the water utility has blamed the problems on a change in pumping regimes to feed the three reservoirs on the city's northside — the lower level reservoir at Shankiel, the intermediate level reservoir at Harbour View Road, and the upper level reservoir at Knocknaheeny.

The water was being pumped through the network at a much higher velocity which disturbed sediment in the pipes again said the company’s regional operations manager, Brian O’Leary.

"We have adjusted this process and expect that the works we are carrying out will address most of these issues in the short term," he said.

The utility is flushing the network in targetted areas based on customer feedback.

But Mr O'Leary said: "It’s important to note that the age of the pipe network in Cork City means that there will continue to be a certain amount of localised discolouration issues."

Uisce Éireann said the water leaving the treatment plant has been rigorously tested to ensure it complies with the drinking water standards, and that the water is safe to drink — once running clear.

Ongoing testing and analysis of the water supply continues, in conjunction with extensive monitoring across the city’s water network to ensure the water is compliant with drinking water regulations and is safe to drink, it said. 

"The results of these ongoing tests are shared with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Health Service Executive," it said.