INDEPENDENT mayoral candidate Helen O’Donnell has deemed it wholly unacceptable that several areas across County Limerick have been subject to a boil water notice for over 12 months.
Ms O’Donnell hit out at one such notice issued from Uisce Éireann for the Foynes-Shannon Estuary Public Water Supply, which includes towns and villages including Askeaton, Foynes, Loughill, and Kildimo, and has impacted around 7,000 people.
“The notice has been in place well over a year, which is astonishing in this day and age,” she insisted.
“In any modern society, basic drinking water shouldn’t be a luxury, which it appears to be in the eyes of Uisce Éireann. There have been promises after promises over the last 18 months about a possible lift of the boil notice, but it has never happened. Late last year, the promise of a lift gave hope to one in January, which never materialised.
“I have had contact with Uisce Éireann on this serious issue and await a timely response, and if none is forthcoming in terms of a lift date, I will be back on the phone again, and again.”
The Independent candidate believes the boil notice is terrible for everyone concerned, and pointed out that there are many businesses that have been affected.
“It’s like as if these communities have been forced to live in the Dark Ages. Hundreds of homes too have been forced to buy water, which is another financial challenge on families,” she added.
In the latest update, Uisce Éireann said that an “ultraviolet unit has been installed at the plant and the works are well progressed with all civil, mechanical, and electrical works now complete”.
“Once the commissioning phase is complete, data will be collated and shared with the Health Service Executive and Uisce Éireann will consult with the HSE to discuss if the boil water notice can be lifted.”
Ms O’Donnell said that, if elected mayor on June 7, she would consider a reimbursement scheme for those most severely affected by this long-standing boil notice.
