Waiting to repair major water problems affecting private properties until after water charges are imposed in 2015 is “totally unacceptable”.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil city councillor Peter Keane who is demanding the Government ensures the water network across Galway is fit for purpose before water charges are introduced.
“This ‘charge first, fix later’ policy is totally unacceptable,” said Cllr Keane. “We know there have been serious problems with water quality and the supply network in Galway. The Government simply cannot expect Galway homeowners to pay for their water before these problems are fixed.”
Cllr Keane said Galway householders cannot be expected to pay water bills when boil water notices and disruptions to supply are “all too common”.
While Cllr Keane welcomed the fact that households will not be forced to pay the cost of such repairs in addition to paying water charges, he said he could “not understand why the Government would wait until 2015 before beginning the necessary repair works”.
He is now calling on the Environment Minister Phil Hogan to carry out a full audit of the water network across the State and to provide funding for major repair works over the next 18 months
