US legislation requires real estate agents and sellers of any building built before 1978 to declare knowledge of lead hazards to prospective buyers. The situation in Old Mervue shows the same laws should apply in Ireland.
This is the view of Labour Galway City East candidate Nuala Nolan who said that when Old Mervue residents bought their houses from the Galway City Council some years ago, “they were never told of the dangers in-built in the water distribution system to their houses”.
According to Ms Nolan US legislation also requires real estate agents to provide a lead warning pamphlet to buyers and give them a chance to test for lead before the contract is finalised. Since 1986 US law also requires local authorities to inform residents of the use of lead in water distribution pipes.
“Engineers from the city council must have known of dangers lead piping from way back, so why did they not highlight this danger?” she asked. “Why did we have to wait until the solution to the cryptosporidium brought the problem to the fore?”
She said Old Mervue residents “should not have to go to a tank for water in this day and age”.
