As Galway’s latest water crisis rolls on 60 houses have been taken off the Old Mervue danger list and can now use their water after “flushing” their taps.
However “flushing” isn’t good enough for Deputy Mayor Colette Connolly who has questioned the safety of such water, and has called on the council to distribute water tankers in Shantalla, Claddagh, Bohermore and the West to help residents deal with the problem.
Cllr Connolly claims that she was advised by the HSE not to drink or use the water, given that a second water sample measured 60mg/l and 20mg/l after flushing.
She said, “This advice directly contradicts that of the City Manager, who continues to advise that it is safe to drink the water after flushing.”
The Labour councillor added, “Currently, the City Council have distributed four litres of bottled water to 50 houses in Shantalla, with an additional 50 houses being distributed. This quantity is not near enough. I am calling on the City Manager to distribute the bottled water to the elderly and disabled on a daily basis and for four litres to be given per person not per household. The current policy of distributing water per household is discriminatory.”
The council, however, says that using the water after “flushing” the taps is perfectly safe, outside of Old Mervue.
And as additional testing continues throughout the city the council has revealed that 60 houses in Old Mervue are not served by the lead mains distribution network.
The houses are on Mallon Avenue, McHugh Avenue, McBride Avenue, and from 22 to 33 inclusive on Barry Avenue.
