1,000 km of Victorian piping needs to be replaced at cost of €13bn: Irish Water
Irish Water has said 1,000kms of Victorian piping needs to be replaced around the country, at a cost of €13bn euro.
The company were responding to growing criticism after an asbestos main burst in Drogheda leaving 50,000 homes and businesses without supply for a number of days.
Irish Water say they are taking measures to try prevent what’s happened in the north east from happening elsewhere.
The company’s Conor Foley said they have now identified the most problematic pipes.
"We are prioritising €3.5bn in the next five years to upgrade the worst performing assets and the Drogheda area is actually getting €23m of that."
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Irish Water has also warned the water supply problem currently affecting Louth and Meath could happen elsewhere.
Jerry Grant told that the utility has replaced around 860km of pipe across the country over the last three years and that around 1,000km remains over the next four or five years.
Mr Grant also warned that will take a number of days for the supply in the northeast to be restored in full but was confident the repair would be completed by Thursday.
The pipes are calling. #Irishwater #not1pipe #Right2water #drogheda pic.twitter.com/8HXz0C0XuT
— Mick Caul (@caulmick) July 24, 2017
Reacting tonight long time opponents of water charges say scrapping water bills will not lead to any further decay in the water network.
Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin says the Oireachtas committee on water decided that the government should step in to cover whatever shortfall is left by the scrapping of domestic charges.
"I think it is completely reasonable to expect that the money the government wanted to come from water charges can come from general taxation and that money can be ring fenced on an annual basis to ensure it goes where it is needed."
