Westport Town Council has so far totted up a bill of €40,000 in dealing with the extreme weather conditions which have plagued the county over the past few weeks.
In a report compiled by town engineer, Patrick Corcoran, it outlines that since December 15 the core roads in the town centre were gritted twice daily, except on Christmas Day. The cost to grit 15 kilometres of this carriageway which needed approximately 170 tons of rock salt cost €12,000 in purchasing the salt.
Twenty kilometres of footpaths in the town centre have also been gritted with seven staff working maintaining roads and footpaths in the town core. Fifty tons of rock salt were required for this which cost €3,500.
Many housing developments were also gritted, spanning seven kilometres of carriageway which required 70 tons of grit at a cost of €1,500.
Two council houses were damaged by burst water pipes and there were also call outs for heating problems .
The water supply in the town is also under severe pressure due to burst pipes, leaks and unnecessary usage of water. Typically the average waster usage in 2009 was 4,300sq m/day. On December 27 this usage rose to was 6,490sq m/day and current usage is 20 per cent above average. Four staff worked on December 26 and 27 to maintain water on the main Westport regional water supply and 12 houses in the area are being supplied with water by tanker.
At present the council are preparing a report on the cost of repair needed to roads and are seeking funding from Department of Transport and Dept of Environment towards expenditure.
