North Tipp region hit by drinking water shortages
Lorrha, Carrig, Rathcabbin are being served by outdated system
THE villages of Lorrha, Carrig, and Rathcabbin are currently experiencing severe drinking water shortages and critically low reservoir levels.
The shortages are due to a combination of the current heatwave, increased demand, and historical infrastructure issues.
Uisce Éireann (formerly Irish Water) is urging locals to conserve water, and a public tap has been set up in Lorrha village (at Scéal) for drinking water.
If you are affected by this issue, you can track the exact status and any upcoming restrictions by checking the Uisce Éireann Water Supply Updates or by contacting their 24/7 customer care line at 1800 278 278.
Over the weekend, Cllr Michael O'Meara said he had been contacted by Uisce Éireann. “The water levels are extremely low in the Lorrha, Rathcabbin and Carrig areas. I am urging everyone in those areas to please conserve your water. A public tap is available in Lorrha village for drinking water.”
Cllr O'Meara remarked that this problem can be partly linked to Climate Change and partly linked to an inadequate infrastructural system. “As Climate Change is getting more extreme we will face this problem every year,” he said. “It seems ludicrous to me that Irish Water are proposing to pump massive amounts of water to Dublin while we can’t get any.”
Last January, during a monthly meeting of Tipperary County Council, Cllr O'Meara raised the water infrastructure issue in the area. He told the January meeting that the water supplies for households and farmers in the Carrig, Rathcabbin and Lorrha areas are of a "third world standard" and expressed dismay at the proposal to pump water through an area close to the banks of the Shannon to serve Dublin. "At the moment in the Carrig, Rathcabbin and Lorrha areas,” he pointed out, “there are 1,500 houses and businesses that have no proper water since Christmas, that have been on a boil water notice since Christmas, and on the other side of that we propose to ship our water to Dublin - I think it is absolutely crazy.” The boil water notice was caused by elevated turbidity which affected treatment at the Rathcabbin Water Treatment Plant. Customers impacted included those in Riverstown, Carrig, Pallas, Caherhoereigh, Corn Hill, Ballyloughnane, Clonmona, Ballyduff, Rathcabban, Gurteen, Roden, Curraghglass, Ploverhill, Redwood, Ballincor, Grange, Ballymacegan, Bredagh, Portland Little, Portland and the surrounding areas.
This week Cllr O'Meara told the Tribune that many houses in the area have very low water pressure. "Sometimes it's so low they virtually have no water," he remarked. "The water pressure is very low in the Redwood and Portland areas. We only have one water source, a borewell, serving the region. It's located in Carrig. We obviously need to find a second water source but this is problematic because there's a lot of iron and sulphur in our ground which tarnishes the water supply, making it unsuitable. Our system is old and not fit for purpose. We need new pipes as well as a second water source. On Sunday there was a major water mains burst in Borrisokane, which didn't help matters."