Irish Water has confirmed that the Meendoran/ Mindoran Water Treatment Plant in Clonmany is to be upgraded later this year and that 1.1 km of water mains pipes in the Cloontagh area will be replaced.
There have been repeated water outages in the area over recent times causing ongoing distress to local residents.
Irish Water have also confirmed that there are pipes in the local water supply that are asbestos cement pipes.
However, the company have assured Senator Mac Lochlainn that these pipes present no public health risk, citing advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Senator Mac Lochlainn said “Myself and my colleague, Cllr Albert Doherty have received repeated representations for quite a while now from residents in the Clonmany area served by the Meendoran/ Mindoran water supply about their water being out again and again. I have also recently learned of concerns about asbestos cement pipes.
“It was absolutely clear that the water infrastructure in the area needed to be upgraded and Irish Water have now confirmed that this is going to happen. The upgrade works at the Meendoran/ Mindoran Water Treatment Plant will be a mechanical, electrical, instrumental and control upgrade to Irish Water standards and Irish Water have also confirmed the replacement of 1.1km of water mains pipes in the Cloontagh area.
“Irish Water have also confirmed that that there are pipes in the local water supply that are asbestos cement pipes but have assured me that these pipes present no public health risk, citing guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO).”
Irish Water referenced this paragraph from the relevant WHO report “Although asbestos is a known human carcinogen by the inhalation route, available epidemiological studies do not support the hypothesis that an increased cancer risk is associated with the ingestion of asbestos in drinking-water. Moreover, in extensive feeding studies in animals, asbestos has not consistently increased the incidence of tumours of the gastrointestinal tract. There is therefore no consistent, convincing evidence that ingested asbestos is hazardous to health, and it is concluded that there is no need to establish a guideline for asbestos in drinking-water”.
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