The Corkman reports this week that lots of houses in Millstreet are without water

…and at least 16 new houses in an estate in Millstreet were also without water.
The Corkman understands that one resident in Millstreet was without water for the past three weeks…

Read the full article on The Corkman website

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Residents battle the big freeze

Thursday January 07 2010

A lack of water and heating have added to the woes of residents battling the big freeze in North Cork over the past week.

Residents in at least one Mallow estate went without heating for several days in the sub-zero temperatures out of fear that their boilers would blow up after their water pipes froze.

Meanwhile, numerous Mallow residents and at least 16 new houses in an estate in Millstreet were also without water.

The Corkman understands that one resident in Millstreet was without water for the past three weeks, while homeowners throughout Duhallow have reported similar difficulties.

The houses at Old Coach Avenue in Millstreet were built approximately three and a half years ago and are a mixture of social, affordable and council houses. Two residents told The Corkman that they were caught off guard by the sub zero temperatures because they didn’t think there was a danger of water pipes freezing in new houses.

Another resident said that some homeowners were even going to Tubrid Well to get water, while others were being supplied with water by the Wallis Arms Hotel.

Similar problems with frozen water pipes have been experienced in houses in Mallow over the past few weeks.

A meeting between the Millstreet residents and Cllr Noel Buckley (FG) was held on Tuesday night in an effort to ensure the provision of essential services.

Cllr Buckley said a tanker of water had been delivered by Cork County Council to the estate on Tuesday night at 8pm.

“Some of the residents were very angry, as being without water is very difficult, especially for people with young children” he said.

Cllr Buckley said problems with water pipes freezing in new houses should be examined further to establish the cause and whether any remedial action is required.

He is making a submission to Cork County Council that an assessor be continued on Page 2 sent out to examine the houses and furnish a detailed report on the residents’ complaints.

Meanwhile, in Mallow residents are being warned that if many of them continue to leave taps running overnight in an attempt to stop their pipes freezing, the town’s supply will fail.

Town Clerk Pat Walsh confirmed on Tuesday evening that the demand is running at 20% to 25% of what it would normally be at this time of the year. This, he says, is because people are allowing taps to run overnight to prevent the big freeze from taking hold in their homes.