Public meeting to discuss ongoing water quality issues in Cork city 

A Cork TD has invited Uisce Éireann to attend a public meeting to discuss ongoing water quality issues in Cork city.

Mick Barry said he has invited Uisce Éireann and all residents who have suffered as a result of discoloured water to attend the meeting later this month.

The meeting will be held in the Maldron Hotel in Shandon on Thursday, January 25 at 7.30pm.

Speaking about the concerns being raised by locals about the ongoing issue of discoloured water running from taps, the Cork North Central deputy said: "People have had clothes and household appliances wrecked by this dirty, discoloured water.

“People have spent large amounts of money on bottled water because they're scared to drink from the tap when they see what's coming out of it.

"€40 million of taxpayers money was spent on a new water treatment plant for the city and Uisce Éireann and the private contractors they have hired have managed to deliver a disaster with it. It's time for answers and it's time for action."

Meanwhile, Cork City North West councillor Brian McCarthy said that questions will also be asked at this evening's meeting of the Environment, Water and Amenity Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) which will be attended by Uisce Éireann officials.

“Uisce Éireann officials are being brought in to give a presentation on what’s been happening with the discoloured water,” he told The Echo.

“There are a lot of questions that have not been answered so we need to go in there and try and do what we can to get the answer from Uisce Éireann officials.” 

Speaking about the need for the upcoming public meeting on January 25, he said: “This meeting on Tuesday is a closed meeting. The public has no access to it, it’s not recorded or live-streamed so that’s why we’ve called the public meeting, it is a community meeting.

“The people who are actually affected can come out so we are hoping Uisce Éireann officials will be there so that people will be able to speak to them directly.

“It’s 18 months realistically this has been going on for now and they’re not dealing with what we’re dealing with, the councillors and TDs. We have people calling us who are very worried and very upset.

“These are people who have children, some are caring for elderly family members, there might be people who are ill who need a reliable water supply and it is not too much to ask that that happens.”