FAMILIES in St Mary’s Park could now be at risk from high levels of lead in their tap water as work gets under way to restore drinking water supplies in two other Limerick city housing estates.
More than 200 homes in St Mary’s Park are set to be hit with the water drinking ban this week due to dangerous levels of lead. Local residents are waiting to be issued with the same notice that was recently received by residents in Kileely and Ballynanty warning them not to drink their tap water or use it to prepare food.
Sinn Fein councillor for City North, Maurice Quinlivan said he is deeply concerned but not at all surprised that a home in St Mary’s Park, after testing for lead, had limits above the legally accepted amounts.
“Many people, including myself, suspected that this was the situation and a huge number of people in the area had stopped drinking the water until they were sure it was safe. This testing has unfortunately confirmed their concerns.
“I assume that Irish Water will issue a public notice like they have in Ballynanty and Kileely with advice from the HSE that the Water is ‘unsafe to drink’,” Cllr Quinlivan predicted.
“It is also clear that there are other estates with lead pipes where people may be drinking water that is not safe. I am now repeating the call I have made on numerous occasions that Irish Water immediately publish a list of homes in the City that have lead pipes. I am also repeating the request that a detailed plan be put in place with a timescales as to when all theses pipes will be removed,” he said.
Cllr Quinlivan insists that a major testing of water supplies needs to be undertaken by Irish Water across the city to allay the fears held by a huge number of Limerick people.
“Irish Water has a terrible reputation since it’s inception and this is an opportunity for them to address the lack faith that people have of them,” he concluded.
