Local businesses have concerns about plans to change the water supply in Clonmel.
Uisce Éireann is to begin in the coming weeks on what it describes as the upgrade in supply.
This will involve upgrading the Monroe and Rathronan plants which the utility says will address quality and supply issues.
However Tipperary Chamber president Michelle Aylward says the financial impact on businesses having to transition to hard water will be considerable.
She told Tipp Today that businesses will need to be supported.
“Its going to cost the small business – or any business I suppose – thousands of Euro every year to install softeners and pumps and then there’s going to be salt and maintenance as well. But its going to be the replacement of their equipment which is going to put a huge cost on them.
“So we’re calling on the government, and we have a few meetings lined up with the Ministers to see if we can get financial supports for the business users for this switch.”
Uisce Éireann has no concern about the impact a new water supply for Clonmel will have.
That’s the view of Eugene Dargan who has more than 30 years’ experience with Tipperary County Council’s water department.
“It doesn’t bother them because their job is to deliver water and once they’ve pulled this from the ground, chlorinated it and sent it on they have their work done. After that whatever happens in your house or your business is your business. Its not up to them.
“Now I already deal with people on the Fethard Road and the Cashel Road and anytime I go over there and there’s an issue with poor water pressure or anything else its always down to the same thing – hard water.”
