Residents complain of brown tap water in Cork homes

Concerns have been raised about brown water flowing from taps in homes on the South Douglas Rd.

One resident, who wished to remain unnamed, said that they and their neighbours have had an issue with brown water, on and off, for years.

“It’s been particularly bad recently —after taking a shower, one dares not dry oneself with a white towel, and laundry is a lottery,” she said. “I, and I know some of my immediate neighbours, have complained to Irish Water.”

The resident said that she has received “a stock response” from Irish Water in response to her most recent complaint and that she has been told to run the taps for a while and that it should clear, but to no avail.

It comes following previous concerns from residents in the South Douglas Rd area who said their water flow had been changing from clear to a brown/yellow colour.

The resident said that she believes the issue “is not unique to the southside”.

Speaking to The Echo, a spokesperson for Irish Water said that Irish Water and Cork City Council recently had an increase in reports of discoloured water and water quality issues in some areas of Cork City.

“We appreciate the inconvenience this can have on our customers,” the spokesperson said.

“Investigations were carried out in the affected areas to identify the source of these water issues and remedial actions were carried out.

“Water leaving Irish Water’s treatment plants is continuously tested to ensure it meets all drinking water standards. Water is also regularly tested at customer delivery points to ensure the highest standards are met.

“There are certain areas of Cork city where there are old cast iron mains, and unfortunately when there are breaks or other interruptions, this can lead to discolouration in the network. This usually clears by flushing in the mains, and also by the customer running their taps.”

Irish Water and Cork City Council have advised people who have water that looks orange or brown running from a kitchen tap to run the tap for a few minutes to see if the water returns to a clear colour.

“If the water does not run clear, we would urge customers to contact Irish Water Customer Care Team 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and it will be investigated,” said the spokesperson.

“Do not drink discoloured water. Irish Water continues to progress the programme of water mains replacement in Cork City, targeted at the worst-affected areas.”