LIMERICK Anti-Austerity Alliance councillor Cian Prendiville has revealed that Irish Water will be requested to attend a Council meeting after unsafe levels of lead were found in Ballynanty drinking water.
The councillor said that Limerick City and County Council director of services Kieran Lehane is to formally request that representatives of the organisation attend the next council meeting.
Meanwhile, Irish Water has brought forward its planned upgrade of the water system in Ballynanty following the discovery of high levels of lead in the public water supply.
Upgrade is expected to begin this week, however, when asked how long it would take before the water in the area was safe to drink again, a spokesperson for Irish Water told the Limerick Post it “can’t give an indication of that at the present time”.
Limerick City and County Council began distributing letters into 400 homes in the area on July 31, telling householders not to drink the water or use it to prepare food until further notice.
However they can continue to use the water for sanitary purposes such as flushing toilets, bathing or washing clothes.
The Council is providing public taps for drinking water in the area each day.
Tests were carried out in a number of homes in the area last week after high levels of lead were found in a private residence.
At the time, Irish Water claimed that it was an individual case and advised the householder to employ a plumber to replace the pipes within the private property.
Local councillor Maurice Quinlivan has accused Irish Water of showing “nothing less than contempt” for Ballynanty residents.
“Clearly they have not been upfront with residents and they have delayed owning up to the problem for as long as they could get away with. The main concern of Irish Water seems to have been to keep this quiet rather than concerns for the health of residents. At this stage I find it difficult to believe anything Irish Water say at face value,” he said.
The Sinn Féin councillor continued: “They only conceded to carrying out further investigation after a massive public outcry. They then took a full week to conclude their investigation before finally admitting that the water throughout Ballynanty is not fit for consumption”.
Cllr Prendiville commented: “Whilst our water mains are bursting, and our pipes are made from lead, or are lined with asbestos, all the government are doing is spending money on water meters.
“Not only is this network leaking, and bursting, but in the case of Ballynanty it has meant undrinkable water was being delivered to the residents for months.”
