You’d think in a first world country you wouldn’t have this coming out of the taps
Father’s concern for children as water in estate turns a bright red
A CONCERNED father has described his fears over the red water coming into his home through his taps and said he fears that his children could become sick as a result of it.
John Ó Ríordáin was bathing his two young children over the weekend when red liquid started coming through the shower head.
Mr O Ríordáin, who lives in Ballyvolane on the outskirts of Cork city, said he has serious concerns about both the welfare of his children as well as the potential financial cost of the dirty water flowing into his appliances.
The problem has been ongoing since July 2022, Mr Ó Ríordáin said, and added that he fears the problem could continue for years before it is fixed.
Mr Ó Ríordáin, as well as his neighbours in Ballyvolane, have long complained to the local council and Uisce Éireann about the ongoing issue, but he says they are continually told that the problem is being worked on.
Mr Ó Ríordáin told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘It’s happening intermittently, but it’s a little more frequent recently. It is about once every two weeks for about 20
‘I don’t know what’s going on’
minutes. But it’s bad enough that I’ve bought filters for the showers and drinking water. It’s the same stuff being used in the washing machine and the other appliances as well.
‘The most frustrating thing is I don’t know what’s going on. We don’t know what it is. It could be anything. They tell us to run the taps until clear but what is clear? The water could look clear but if you put it in a white mug it’s still a bit yellow.
‘Can I safely wash my kids in shower water if it looks clear? I assume a lot of bad stuff is invisible. We’re sitting here taking it, not knowing what it is. I’m just hoping my kids don’t get sick from it. You’d think in a first world country you wouldn’t have this and you’d have water.
‘I’m in an estate which was built in 2006 so the pipes are all modern. All my neighbours are having the exact same problem.
‘They’re telling us to run the taps until it clears but there’s a problem with that. You could have regular running water, like we had when I was washing the kids and then it starts to come out red. We don’t know when it’s about to turn. That’s a major issue with it.’
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that it is a major concern and said that he believes there is no quick fix for the problem.
He said: ‘I have been engaging with Uisce Éireann on this and I think there is a significant issue here that has to be dealt with – my understanding is that it’s not as simple as sorting it out in the short time frame.’
In a statement, Uisce Éireann said its top priority was protecting public health. It has issued warnings to the public not to drink any water that is unclear.
It also said it ‘acknowledges that water services in Cork City are not meeting the standards that impacted customers rightly expect’.
The statement read: ‘While there is no easy solution, we would like to assure impacted customers that we are treating this matter with the utmost priority and are committed to addressing the issue – with a taskforce established in Cork City, dedicated to improving water quality in this regard.
‘Based on 2023 reports to our call centre, it is estimated that discolouration affects just over 1% of customers.
‘This specific issue appears to be an isolated incident and our Customer Care team has reached out directly to the customer.
‘No other reports of discolouration were logged for the Ballyvolane area in recent days.
‘Recognising that some people may not be reporting incidents, we are reiterating the call for customers to contact us directly. Each call is investigated and actioned. In general, issues such as discolouration can occur when dealing with an aged network such as Cork City’s.
‘There are approximately 600km of water mains in Cork City, 50% to 60% of which are made from cast iron and over 100 years old.
‘It would take an investment of approximately half a billion euro over several investment cycles to replace these. Due to the age and deteriorating condition of the pipes, they are prone to bursts and leakage.’
Regarding what may be causing the water colour, Uisce Éireann added that in old cast iron mains, such as those in Cork City, sediment can become dislodged during repair or upgrade works and can be carried through to customers’ taps, leading to the water appearing brown or orange.
‘In the event of discolouration, running the tap for several minutes – we recommend up to 20 minutes – will usually restore water to a clear colour. The water is safe to drink once running clear,’ the company added.
‘They are prone to bursts and leakage’