Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as ucht an cheist seo. The Cork city water supply is a really important issue and we appreciate the concerns being raised by both Deputies on this and regarding having to buy bottled water and regarding the discolouration issue. It is something that is affecting communities in Cork and we are conscious of that.

As part of budget 2024, the Minister secured funding of €1.6 billion to support Uisce Éireann in the delivery of water services. This overall investment will deliver significant improvements in our public water and wastewater services. The national development plan commits to almost €6 billion in capital investment to be undertaken by Uisce Éireann in the period from 2021 to 2030, of which more than €4.5 billion will be voted Exchequer funded in respect of domestic water services. This sustained investment will improve capacity, performance and particularly the resilience of water services, which is something we all welcome.

Uisce Éireann has acknowledged that the water services in Cork City are not meeting the standards customers rightly expect, especially in light of the significant investment in the water infrastructure in Cork city over recent years, which has been mentioned by Deputy Gould. Uisce Éireann has informed me that there are approximately 600 km of water mains in Cork city, approximately 507 of which are old cast iron pipes and are up to 100 years old. Due to the age and deteriorating condition of the pipes, they are prone to bursts and leakage. In old cast iron mains, sediment can become dislodged during repairs or upgrade works and can occasionally be carried through to customers’ taps, leading to water appearing brown or orange. Uisce Éireann is committed to carrying out all necessary works to reduce instances of discolouration of drinking water, and as a result of the work carried out to date, there is a downward trend in reported cases. Uisce Éireann continues with works to flush the network in targeted areas across the city, and areas are prioritised based on customer feedback and reports received by the Uisce Éireann customer care team. This work involves isolating small sections of the network and flushing them. Since the beginning of January, Uisce Éireann engineers have been on the ground in numerous parts of the city. I will provide the list shortly of the areas on which they are working.

The current freezing temperatures can impact on water pipes, causing bursts that lead to discolouration. It also limits the flushing that can be carried out due to risks posed to icy roads and footpaths by flushed water. Uisce Éireann is focusing its efforts on flushing in areas where water mains have burst, including the Douglas Road area, to ensure continuation of supply and limit impacts of discolouration. Uisce Éireann continues to closely monitor reservoirs and the water network that supply the city. Reservoir cleaning was carried out in November and there was a subsequent improvement in water quality. Testing and analysis of the water supply is continuing, including extensive monitoring across Cork city’s water network, to ensure water is compliant with drinking water regulations and is safe to drink. The results of these ongoing tests are shared with the Environmental Protection Agency and the HSE.

I will give a list of the areas in which there has been mains flushing since the start of January this year. These include Greenmount Avenue, Industry Place, Kevin Street, Ballinderry Park, Liffey Park, Silverheights Avenue and Road, Merrion Court, Liam Healy Road, Knockpogue Park, Delaney Park, Rathmore Place, Sarsfield Terrace, St Joseph's Drive, Dublin Hill, River Towers, and Hillcrest Rise. I am sure these are all the areas to which both Deputies are referring, so it is a matter that Uisce Éireann is working hard to try to resolve for the residents affected.

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