Lack of spending means one burst pipe causes chaos

IT’S no secret that our water network is crumbling, and decades of under-investment means that other parts of the country will experience a similar lack of supply which is currently causing such misery in Louth and Meath.

Last month, more than 30,000 people in Cork city were without water overnight as repairs were completed on a ruptured main. Just yesterday, repairs were scheduled or under way for burst pipes at Ballymun in Dublin, in Tipperary town, at Kilkishen and Alva in Clare, at Brittas in Limerick, Luggacurren in Laois, Ballytivnan in Sligo, and Vicarstown and Cobh in Cork.

There is some 63,000km of pipeline across the country, and while not all needs to be replaced, major investment is needed to remove lead and asbestos mains, as well as ancient pipes fitted during the Victorian era. Since 2014, Irish Water has replaced or upgraded some 850km – the same amount was completed by local authorities between 2000 and 2010. A further 1,000km is targeted for replacement out to 2021.

But unforeseen issues emerge as ageing pipes crack and rupture. The mains pipe in Louth is 43 years old, and has burst three times in the last 30 years. Around 10pc of all mains pipelines are asbestos and need to be replaced. Irish Water says replacing ageing trunk mains would cost €2bn.

There’s no point blaming the utility for this. It’s the lack of spending over decades by successive governments, which left city and county councils starved of annual maintenance budgets which could have prevented a lot of the problems which exist today.

But it’s not just an ageing pipe network that’s the problem – there’s raw sewage being discharged to waters, including popular swimming spots. Some 90 drinking water supplies serving more than 740,000 people are at risk of contamination.

There’s pressure to expand and build new plants to accommodate a growing population, and all that costs money – at least €13bn is needed over the mediumterm.

There’s no point rehashing arguments over whether households should or shouldn’t pay. The Government has made its decision, but we do need certainty that not just this administration, but future governments too, remain committed to this vital infrastructure project.

There have been concerns about a lack of water tankers to provide an alternative supply. That is being addressed, but until the pipe is replaced, businesses and households will continue to suffer.

This crisis highlights precarious state of the network, where just one burst pipe can cause untold misery.