Noel McCarthy: Calls for Ballyhooly Water Network Upgrade
Noel McCarthy raised persistent low water pressure in Ballyhooly, Cork East and asked the Tánaiste to press Uisce Éireann for a full upgrade of the local water network. He warned daily disruptions worsen ahead of summer and with more housing planned, a complete upgrade and funding are required.
Noel McCarthy renewed his call in the chamber for urgent repairs and a full upgrade of the Ballyhooly water network. He described ongoing low pressure that disrupts household routines and said piecemeal repairs have not solved the problem.
He acknowledged that Uisce Éireann has carried out some repair work and leak-finding measures, but stressed that funding is needed for a comprehensive upgrade of the pipework from the reservoir to the village to eliminate the low pressure.
McCarthy asked the Tánaiste to liaise directly with Uisce Éireann to facilitate a full upgrade. The Tánaiste responded that Uisce Éireann has taken measures including mains monitoring, leak find-and-fix and pressure management, and that she will follow up with them and with Deputy McCarthy.
McCarthy framed the issue as time-sensitive: pressures can fall further as summer approaches and additional housing development is due in the area. The exchange highlights the gap between temporary fixes and the funding needed for a long-term solution.
Issue raised
Noel McCarthy renewed his call in the chamber for urgent repairs and a full upgrade of the Ballyhooly water network. He described ongoing low pressure that disrupts household routines and said piecemeal repairs have not solved the problem.
Repairs to date
He acknowledged that Uisce Éireann has carried out some repair work and leak-finding measures, but stressed that funding is needed for a comprehensive upgrade of the pipework from the reservoir to the village to eliminate the low pressure.
Request to the Tánaiste
McCarthy asked the Tánaiste to liaise directly with Uisce Éireann to facilitate a full upgrade. The Tánaiste responded that Uisce Éireann has taken measures including mains monitoring, leak find-and-fix and pressure management, and that she will follow up with them and with Deputy McCarthy.
Context and consequence
McCarthy framed the issue as time-sensitive: pressures can fall further as summer approaches and additional housing development is due in the area. The exchange highlights the gap between temporary fixes and the funding needed for a long-term solution.
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Transcript
Tánaiste, I wish to raise again the issue of low water pressure in the village of Ballyhooly in my constituency of Cork East. I've spoken on several occasions in this chamber on the need for the repair and upgrade of the water network serving Ballyhooly as daily disruptions to water supply have persisted for years. Low water pressure in a certain area of Ballyhooly continues to disrupt daily household practices and this only gets worse as we approach the summer months. While some repairs are being conducted by Esgearan, funding is needed for a complete upgrade of the local water network. This would improve the pipe work from the reservoir to the village and eliminate the low pressure problem. With more housing development due in the area, can I please ask Tánaiste to liaison directly with Esgearan on the possibility of a full upgrade of the network being facilitated. Thank you Tánaiste. Thank you very much, David. Thanks for raising this issue in relation to East Cork and in relation to Ballyhooly. As you remind us, it's not the first time you've been raising these issues around water, the water network and the need for an upgrade as well. I'm informed that Esgearan has introduced a number of measures to try and address the issues with the Ballyhooly network. I think they've put in place a programme of mains monitoring, a leak find and fix was carried out to reduce the leakage levels. They tell me this has now increased pressures at properties where customers had experienced low pressure and they've also implemented pressure management to help maintain pressure levels across the village. But their work is not yet done, they need to do more. Their network management team is continuing to look at the whole issue of leak detection, if there's more that can be done in that area and also if there's further flow arrangements that can be put in place to try and really improve the reliability and the service. But on foot of you raising it here today and on foot of the very significant additional investment government has provided to Esgearan, I'll follow up directly with them and ask that they come back to you too Deputy.