'You get through to a call centre and they don’t know the area. I was told before there was no such place as Durrus.'

Since the then-Irish Water opened its €40m Lee Rd water-treatment plant in the summer of 2022, homes across the city have experienced persistent problems with brown and orange discoloured water.

The measure comes as a water conservation order remains in place in Cork county — excluding Cork city — until September 16.

By signing up to the free text service, customers can receive real-time updates tailored to their area, helping them to prepare for any interruptions.

Mr Horgan submitted a report on the issue to Uisce Éireann recently.

Jack Cronin who is the programme manager with Uisce Éireann, said that the upgrades are now benefitting homes and businesses in the area.

A spokesperson for Uisce Éireann told Mr O’Flynn that when reported, operational issues such as leaking hydrants are actioned by water services crews on a priority basis.

Testing commissioned by Cork Fine Gael TD Colm Burke showed that samples taken from the stream “had microbiological results similar to the leachate from a septic tank” and were “at the highest level of contamination”.

The development will consist of inlet works, primary treatment, secondary treatment, discharge works, sludge treatment works, a stormwater storage tank and pumping station.

The ulility said the boil water notices on the public water supplies at both Whitegate and Macroom had been lifted following consultations with the HSE.

Fianna Fáil’s Aindrias Moynihan confirmed that both bodies have met to agree on a joint approach to the project

To minimise disruption to the community, the Uisce Éireann works in the Mayfield and Silversprings areas will be carried out at night

Uisce Éireann is appealing to all customers, regardless of whether their supply is affected by a hosepipe ban, to be mindful of their water usage.

The order will be in effect for seven and half weeks until September 16.

Uisce Éireann has a Cork city water quality taskforce, which it says “continues to make progress to address discolouration issues that are impacting some customers in the city”.

Simon Harris also said every part of the state needs to treat the housing crisis as an emergency.

Images from the European Union's Copernicus satellite show a difference in vegetation near Nenagh in Co Tipperary

The business body urged the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) to consider the potential impact on economic competitiveness before introducing any water tariff increases for business customers.

Reporter Amy Campbell looks in to the cause of a wastewater overflow incident at the Atlantic Pond pumping station in January, and what work is being undertaken to prevent it happening again

On Wednesday, Mr Justice David Nolan adjourned the injunction application relating to protests outside Ryevale House in Leixlip with liberty to re-enter.

An Uisce Éireann spokesperson said that the upgrade will provide a safer and more reliable water supply for approximately 4,000 customers, ensure a more resilient water supply, and improving drinking water quality, ensure compliance with current national and EU drinking water regulations, and contribute to the removal of Macroom public water supply from the EPA’s Remedial Action List.

The ban will prohibit the use of garden hosepipes for non-essential purposes

The number of pesticide exceedances in public drinking water supplies in Ireland has decreased by more than 50% since 2017.

The company said it is enhancing its “proactive sampling and testing programme”, which monitors the quality of drinking water across Cork city.

An Uisce Éireann spokesperson confirmed to The Echo that the upgrade is due to commence shortly.

However, a city councillor has said the water utility should meet with councillors in public following a recent in-committee meeting.

Councillors had been calling for the body to come before the council, and a meeting was eventually held in committee — meaning it was not open to the public or media.

Uisce Éireann has warned that part of Cork city’s southside is facing possible overnight water disruption on Wednesday night

According to a notice issued on Thursday afternoon by Cork City Council to the Lord Mayor and councillors, and seen by The Echo, Uisce Éireann has “committed to answering questions in the meeting, [but] they have requested that a list of issues for discussion be provided in advance to enable them to prepare properly”.

The facility aims to be the first residential facility for adults with autism in West Cork.

One test found levels of manganese 142% above the Drinking Water Regulations 

'I have not heard of one case where a person has been offered or even made aware of this compensation.'

Uisce Éireann has been criticised by councillors after confirming it will not be attending a special meeting on water issues. 

Works will likely occur after 10pm and into the early hours of the following day, are likely to lead to water disruption, with possible instances of water discolouration.

In a response to a query from The Echo, Uisce Éireann confirmed five of 33 samples were above the 50ug/l drinking water regulations parametric value for manganese.

Speaking at the rally Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould outlined how water in Cork is 'dirty and unsafe', with high levels of manganese.

From phone pouches to bike sheds and bank bailouts to water charges, test your knowledge of government spending controversies by taking our quiz.

It is a “protest for the long-suffering residents of Cork city who have been plagued by dirty water”, one of the protest’s scheduled speakers has said, adding that they also want a “long promised” referendum to be held on water.

Following a query from The Echo, Uisce Éireann, has disclosed that in 2023 it received 41 reports of illness suspected to have been caused by dirty water, and in 2024 it received 59 such reports. The 2023 figures mark a 41% increase on 2022, and the 2024 figures show a 44% increase on 2023.

The chairperson of Ballyhooly community council, John Howard, said: “To say this has been going on for years would be an understatement, I moved to the village 10 years ago — but it was an issue prior to that.”

Minister for Housing and Local Government James Browne will update the Cabinet on Tuesday on the urgent actions to be taken by Uisce Eireann, including the purchase of the new generators.

Repair work has been completed by Uisce Éireann crews who had been working to fix what was described as a ‘major burst’ on a water main in Mallow but water supplies may be disrupted for some time yet.

Officials from the company said discolouration would likely always be an issue until the city’s entire cast iron water main network is replaced, at a likely cost of hundreds of millions of euro over at least five decades.

Uisce Éireann crews are working on what the utility has described as a ‘major burst’ on the raw water main which supplies the Mallow Water Treatment Plant at Ballyellis.

The planned meeting was proposed by Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, Lord Mayor of Cork, at this week’s council meeting.

Uisce Éireann has warned that part of Cork city’s northside are facing possible overnight water supply disruption on Monday

Reacting to the notice being lifted, Fianna Fáil Cork North West TD Aindrias Moynihan said: “It will be an ease to locals in Macroom and Canovee area who have endured the boil notice for so long.”

Power has so far been restored to 766,500 homes, farms, schools and businesses.

Discoloured water has been an ongoing and widespread problem in Cork city since the then Irish Water opened its refurbished €40m Lee Road water treatment plant in July, 2022

Uisce Éireann has warned that part of Cork city’s northside are facing possible water supply disruption on Monday