Any attempts by City Hall to introduce water charges on the people of Galway city will be met with resistance and opposition, Fine Gael councillor Brian Walsh has warned.
At Monday’s city council meeting, councillors heard a presentation on the Western River Basin District Management Plan which assessed the quality of Galway’s drinking water and the state of Lough Corrib and the River Corrib.
The report said the quality of Galway’s drinking water was only “moderate” and that the state of our lakes and rivers are being threatened by septic tanks, the lack of properly serviced treatment plants, and the impact of agriculture and human waste.
Councillors were then asked to vote on the plan which proposed solutions to deal with the problem. However Independent councillor Catherine Connolly noted that water charges were included in the version of the plan before councillors, but had not been included in the version that went on public display.
Many councillors felt this was unfair on the public that they had not been alerted to the possible inclusion of water charges. As a result all councillors, except the three Fianna Fáil members, voted against the plan.
However city manager Joe MacGrath said the water charges are an EU guideline and that “people will have to get used to the idea of the charges and that it will happen”.
Cllr Walsh said: “This report is about water quality and how to make sure our drinking water is clean. It’s not to do with water charges. That is something the Government is hell bent on introducing. If water charges are to be introduced we will fight the battle when it arises.”
