Ballydesmond’s water woes trickle onwards
COUNCILLORS SAY SITE ACQUISITON FOR RESERVOIR IS THE MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK IN PROJECT
THE water woes of Ballydesmond continue to rage onwards and a major stumbling block is finding a site for a new reservoir, according to councillors.
Irish Water has sanctioned almost €2 million to upgrade the water supplies in both Ballydesmond and Kiskeam. The original plan was to decommission the existing public water supply at Ballydesmond and Kiskeam and construct a new water main – which will connect both of these supplies to the nearby Ballinatona scheme.
The project is to include the installation of a new 20cm water main linking the exisiting Ballinatona Water scheme at Dromskarragh Beg to a new reservoir at Kiskeam. Then booster pumps are to be installed at Kiskeam reservoir to pump water over the brow of the hill to a new reservoir at Ballydesmond.
It was understood that, originally, two reservoirs were to be developed but this was whittled down to one because of the difficulty in acquiring a suitable site. However, it seems that acquiring even one site remains an elusive goal.
The Corkman put in a query to Irish Water asking if the current state of play means they are back to ground zero on any site acquisition. An Irish Water spokesperson replied that “negotiations are ongoing to acquire a suitable site for the new reservoir which will supply Ballydesmond village from the existing Ballinatona water scheme.”
In the meantime, Irish Water stated that contractors will shortly begin preliminary site works for the laying of a new water main from Ballinatona to Ballydesmond. A total of 9km of new water mains will be laid as part of this project.
Cllr Timmy Collins (Ind) said he has been working on this issue for the past three years. “The water in Ballydesmond is absolutely not drinkable and no one should have to put up with what the people have to do in this day and age,” he said.
“Irish Water and Cork County Council are doing their very best on this matter. Architectural drawings and engineers have all their paperwork done but the huge problem is site acquisition. In my view if a site acquisition is not possible then the only remedy may be a CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) but I feel that the council don’t want to go down route,” he said.
“It is my understanding that, originally, two sites were identified but there was a long waggling road with landowners over it and it was whittled down to one.
“There was a thought that one site for a reservoir would do and instead of the second one a pumping system would be put in place. But at the moment, everything is up in the air.
“The water is not drinkable and my phone is hopping over the issue. I sympathise 100 per cent with the people. Unless the water issue is solved for the people then the village will remain in the state that it is in. A solution needs to be urgently found to sort this out.”
Cllr John Paul O’Shea (Ind) said: “Ballydesmond is a key village in the County Development Plan and we would like to put money into the village but we can’t as we are waiting for Irish Water to make an agreement with a landowner. Cork County Council is doing the negotiation works on behalf of Irish Water but it’s Irish Water’s decision to pay the money for the site.
“It’s all down to consultation and negotiations with a landowner for the proposed reservoir. The sooner Ballydesmond gets fresh water and the village is completely overhauled the better.”
Cllr Bernard Moynihan (FF) said: “The whole thing in Ballydesmond is just chaos. I have been working with Cork County Council on this matter. The big problem is that Irish Water cannot acquire a site and the acquisition of a site is the big problem.”
Cllr Gerard Murphy (FG) said: “The council and Irish Water are having severe difficulty in locating a site and this is holding up the progression. However, I feel that if movement doesn’t take place on this matter the council will take whatever steps are necessary to bring this to a conclusion quickly.”