Skeheenarinky/Burncourt water problems to be solved by 2015

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Skeheenarinky/Burncourt water problems to be solved by 2015

Residents in South Tipperary are not getting their hopes up regarding new water treatment plants being in operation by 2015 – as they’ve learned from previous experience.

Sandra Quinn

Saturday, 25 May 2013
8:45 AM GMT



Undrinkable water in Skeheenarinky could be a thing of the past, as the Burncourt/Fethard water scheme has now had five tenders which have been sent to consultants and the new treatment plants are set to be completed by 2015.

For the past four years, as many as 43 houses in Skeheenarinky have had a boil water notice in place, having to have  water on a rolling boil or use bottled water. While residents welcome the news that the scheme, which was first promised during the Celtic Tiger, will start, they are still apprehensive, as the promise of clean water has fallen through many times.

Kathleen Caplice of Woodberry Pre School said that they have to constantly buy bottled water and for people with kidney problems or dietary concerns, the added salts can cause problems. Adding that it is also very expensive and awkward, particularly if people are visiting, as they cannot drink the water at all.

Kathleen had to install a filter under her sink to ensure that the water can be used, but she said that she simply doesn't know if this latest promise will follow through. She added that when water charges come through, it would be completely unjust for the people of Skeheenarinky to be expected to pay for water that they cannot even drink.

CAUTIOUS

Last weekend, the chlorine in the water in Skeheenarinky was so bad, that even after boiling, the water was unusable.

Ed O'Riordan added: "We in Skeheenarinky are not getting our hopes up for an early conclusion to the problem, because we have struggled from one promise to another for many years and each time there has been a glitch at Departmental level that caused the entire scheme to be put back.

"It's crazy that the people of this area are being deprived of clean water when one of the reasons given for the delay some years ago was that they had a problem in Fethard and both problems had to be sorted together. There has never been a satisfactory explanation as to why some consumers on the scheme have boil notices and others don't," he said.

Councillor Marie Murphy has been fighting for this scheme for some time and she told The Avondhu that she will be pressing Minister Phil Hogan to push this scheme through the final hurdle as a matter of urgency and to have contractors on site without delay, as it is simply unacceptable for these people to tolerate undrinkable water for any longer.

"While it is good news to see that the project is finally moving forward, as the quality of drinking water in the area has been raised in the Dail by various Oireachtas members over the past 50 years, Skeheenarinky people on boil notices and indeed, the people of the wider Cahir area, will be hoping that there are no more delays to this project and as a county councillor for the area, I will continue to push South Tipperary County Council to get the new water treatment plant for the Burncourt scheme operational as soon as possible," she said.

The scheme, which has an estimated cost of €16.7 million, was originally delayed because of issues with Fethard and in 2011, tenders were sought. The closing date was pushed out three times this year, from February 14 to March 21 and finally to May 16.

Cllr Murphy explained that the proposed works in Burncourt and Fethard will include the construction of new water treatment plants, new service reservoirs, the development of existing and new water sources and ancillary services. She added that the council are also proposing some improvements to the water distribution networks in these areas.



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