Water filtration systems must be installed for the 251 houses in Old Mervue as City Hall cannot keep “dumping the bottled water” into the homes of volunteers and expecting them to distribute it.
This is the view of Independent Cllr Terry O’Flaherty who is calling for the Galway City Council to install the system or else fund the cost in the form of a grant with no liability attached to City Hall.
At a recent city council meeting, Cllr O’Flaherty called for a “top of the range” water filtration system “capable of removing lead and other forms of harmful bacteria from the water” for the residents of Old Mervue. The motion was carried, even though the officials were not in favour of it.
Cllr O’Flaherty said installation of such a system will eliminate the need for the distribution of free bottled water. She said the five standpipes and the three water tankers could be removed immediately and that “very little water is being taken from the tankers as the residents have no confidence in it”.
Cllr O’Flaherty said it was “very unfair of the council” to be “dumping the bottled water” into the homes of the volunteers and then “expecting them to distribute the free water” on a voluntary basis.
“Does the council expect them to continue doing this work until the lead pipes are replaced which they themselves admitted that it will take two to five years to replace?” she asked.
She has tabled another a notice of motion for the city council meeting on November 10 for the immediate installation of water filtration systems.
