Large area of Kerry without water today due to burst pipe

'We are working to repair this burst as quickly and safely as possible,' said Uisce Éireann.

A large area of mid- Kerry is without water again today following a burst pipe, adding to concerns about the resilience of the region's water network.

Areas affected by the latest outage include Listry, Aghadoe, and Barleymount near Killarney, as well as Milltown and surrounding communities.

“We are working to repair this burst as quickly and safely as possible. We understand the inconvenience to customers during this time, especially in warmer weather, and want to thank customers for their patience as work continues,” said Uisce Éireann.

Normal supply is expected to resume from 6am on Friday. 

The latest outage comes after councillors called for an urgent review of water treatment plants and reservoir capacity across the county.

Bulk water tankers have been deployed to two locations in Milltown, with residents asked to bring their own containers. Bottled water is also being distributed.

The supply disruption follows what Fine Gael councillor Tommy Griffin described as a “catastrophic collapse” of water services across mid-Kerry during the recent warm weather.

Speaking at a meeting of Kerry County Council, Mr Griffin called on Uisce Éireann to provide emergency funding to increase water storage capacity in the mid-Kerry supply scheme. 

He said families who had recently bought homes in Milltown were left without water during their first summer in the town.

A further 100 social homes are under construction in Milltown and due to come on stream in the coming months.

"Where is the water for this development? We are without water. It's at crisis level. It's catastrophic," he said, moving the emergency motion.

Several councillors also voiced concern about pressure on water supplies across Kerry during the recent warm spell, with calls for the reopening of water treatment plants and reservoirs that were decommissioned or bypassed as part of moves towards more centralised systems.

Last week in Kenmare bottles of water were handed out in the main square after the town’s main reservoir level fell, during what was described as an operational issue believed to be linked to power outages.

Uisce Eireann said an operational issue led to the reduced levels in Kenmare.

Local councillor Johnny Healy-Rae said he had been trying to highlight the need to source a water supply for the town since 2011 when he entered the council.

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