Bitumen spillage forced Cork City water treatment plant to close for 12 hours during summer

The facility provides drinking water to a population of almost 144,000 in Cork City and the wider Cork Harbour area

An audit by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that Uisce Éireann became aware that a bitumen-type liquid had entered the raw water sumps at the Cork Harbour and City Water Treatment Plant at Inniscarra, Co Cork on August 28. File picture: Maurice O'Mahony

The treatment plant supplying drinking water to Cork, including parts of Cork City, was shut down for over 12 hours this summer after an accidental spillage of bitumen into tanks containing untreated water, according to a report by the State’s environmental watchdog.

An audit by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that Uisce Éireann became aware that a bitumen-type liquid had entered the raw water sumps at the Cork Harbour and City Water Treatment Plant at Inniscarra, Co Cork on August 28.