3,300 in Kerry town without safe drinking water for weeks

Over 3,300 people in Ballyheigue in Co Kerry have been without drinking water for over three weeks - following a 'do not consume' notice issued by Uisce Éireann on 7 October.

The notice was issued after saltwater was detected in the raw water source supplying Ballyheigue’s water treatment plant.

It is believed to be the first major incident of saltwater intrusion into a deep underground aquifer in Ireland.

Under the notice, affected residents have been advised not to use their water for drinking, food preparation, or brushing teeth, with a particular warning to children under 12 months.

Neither domestic water filters or boiling the water will make it safe to drink, while it can still be used for personal hygiene, bathing, flushing toilets, laundry and washing of utensils.

Yesterday, dozens of Ballyheigue residents picked up alternative water supplies in the form of bottles and a tanker, provided by Uisce Éireann.

Many said they have been severely impacted by the long running notice.

Geraldine Harris is the mother to two children with additional needs, including her daughter Emily who is autistic and non-verbal.

For her, the past month has been "absolutely horrendous".

"For example, Emily is just after learning how to fill her own cup for when she's thirsty so now it's like standing guard at the sink 24/7."

"She's just constantly at the sink you know and just trying to make sure she doesn't consume the water it's really really difficult."

"Even having to take her down here every day is difficult. It's just been a tough time," Ms Harris added.

Caroline Newman is principal of the nearby Glenderry national school, where 130 pupils and 20 staff are affected.

For over 60 years the school and around 75 homes nearby were supplied by a water pump on the school grounds - until they were moved to the mains supply earlier this year.

For her student's safety, she wants it brought back into use.

"They switched us over about a week before we came back to school to what they told us was a safer option of drinking water."

"We were six weeks back at school when we had this 'do not consume' notice."

"Uisce Éireann did deliver an adequate supply of water to us weeks after the notice was put in place. Prior to that it was just parents sending in extra water for each child."

"It's frightening to think, even a child going to the sink to take a drink or even wash their hands. Children are always getting cuts and grazes."

"We have vulnerable people as well. We would have immunocompromised children and staff here that we don't know how safe it is for their hand washing at the minute," Ms Newman said.

"We have received very little communication around how long this notice will be in place, what exactly is in our water, how long has it been there. And what a solution might look like."

"They cited health and safety issues as a reason for pulling us off our pump. I would feel much safer if it was turned back on," Ms Newman added.

Dairy farmer Maurice Harty uses the public water supply for his cattle. He believes that if the problem persists, farmers could face an animal welfare issue.

"When they start to calve after Christmas and come to peak milk production, a cow will consume up to 200 litres a day of fresh water. So your demand for clean water is quite important to your farm."

"She cannot afford to have too much sodium. She will dehydrate."

"If this issue prolongs into the spring, which it looks like it could, we will have to have another water supply in place," Mr Harty said.

"And that’s a problem. But it's the lack of information that's the big problem."

Although the water can still be used for bathing and personal hygiene, Colette Casey, the owner of Colette’s hair salon in Ballyheigue, is concerned, like many others, that the risks posed by their contaminated water supply could go well beyond consumption.

"What I'm afraid of is our equipment. Like we had steam pods there, they just leave out a little bit of steam. They're getting blocked already because of salt."

"The main thing I'd say to Irish Water is, and I'm nearly begging them at this stage, just to connect us to something that'll keep our houses away from salt."

"You park your car at the top of the beach, a bit of a spray for a couple of weeks, your car is rusted. And now it’s running through our pipes. It's shocking."

As part of ongoing efforts to lift the 'do not consume' notice, Uisce Éireann are assessing potential alternative short term and long-term water sources, with sampling and testing is under way at a number of locations.

The service yesterday restored drinking water to around 200 customers in Causeway village, with water now being supplied with water from Listowel Public Water Supply on a temporary basis.

However, the timeline for full restoration in Ballyheigue remains uncertain.

Brian O’Leary, Uisce Éireann Regional Operations Senior Manager for Water Operations in the Southwest, believes it could take months before a permanent solution is put in place.

"I do want to assure people that, look, it is top priority for us. We have teams of people working on both permanent solutions and also short-term mitigation measures.

Public health and protection of public health is obviously a top priority for us, but, you know, we certainly won’t have people under a "do not consume" notice for any longer than they need to be," Mr O'Leary said.

"There’s a few things that we’re looking at the moment and we’re progressing them all. That’s looking at groundwater sources in Ballyheigue itself, but also looking at potentially recommissioning an old disused source in Ardfert and laying the pipelines associated with that."

"There’s a few hurdles to jump through before we can get those over the line, but they are some of the permanent options we’re looking at."

"There’s a chance the existing source may recover, but that’s probably more of a long shot and it’s not a sustainable source for the scheme going forward," Mr O'Leary added

"We should be in a position in the next kind of two weeks, to start firming up on timelines on a permanent solution here."

"But potentially we could be looking at a number of months here, unfortunately."

For Ballyheigue based Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Leane, transparency and communication from Uisce Éireann since the 'do not consume' notice was put in place has been "disastrous".

He, alongside other Ballyheigue residents yesterday formally invited Uisce Éireann representatives to a public meeting in the town.

"The lines of communication between local representatives and Uisce Éireann has been diabolical, if I’m allowed to say those words. That is the honest truth.

"I think Uisce Éireann should stand out, come to a public meeting. They're not going to get lynched or anything like that. Just answer the questions and tell the truth."

"The truth is all we want to know. How long is it going to go on? When will they think it's going to be fixed and sorted?"

"Is there an end in sight here."