Residents in Cloughaneely are without water once again this afternoon with no sign of it being turned back on before the end of the working day.
It comes following another burst to the main pipeline on Saturday that left several businesses having to close its doors for the day.
Last week, engineers from Irish Water held a constructive meeting with elected officials from the Gortahork and Falcarragh area to discuss the utility’s plans to replace two sections of water pipes that are prone to frequent bursts.
Councillors were told that Irish Water is committed to delivering water improvement works in Falcarragh and financial approval has been given to progress this through the National Leakage Reduction Programme.
Irish Water currently plans to commence the construction of this project in Autumn of this year.
However, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Seamus O’Domhnaill, said the people in the area are now ‘beyond angry’ with the current situation and that the current timeframe must be brought forward.
“The people in Cloughaneely are beyond angry with Irish Water because they just are not carrying out the work in the emergency fashion that needs to happen,” Cllr O’Domhnaill said.
“I have written to the Environment Minister this morning, Richard Bruton, and the CEO of Irish Water asking them to step in and get this project underway now, without delay.
“The funding is in place, it is now about getting pipes in the ground.
“People have put up with enough,” he added.
With the water shortage is expected to continue in the area for at least another 12 hours, O’Domhnaill said Irish Water should ‘hang their heads in shame’.
“I have made my sentiments know with those at Irish Water and I have told them to pull their finger out,” he said.
“They promised us that they would carry out work to reduce the number of bursts in the area and that simply has not happened.
“Works have taken place but it is not reducing the frequency. It is a joke and they need to get on with the work at this point.
“They have totally lost the confidence of the people in Cloughaneely and Gortahork and Irish Water need to compensate the businesses that are losing money hand over fist.
“It is just not on, the people have lost confidence in Irish Water, as have I, and the only way that can be resolved is if they get on with it and stop the people in this area suffering from these bursts on a regular basis.”
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