People in Tipperary are being urged to engage with the Regional Water Resources Plan for the South East.
This is Uisce Éireann’s proposal to develop solutions for the water needs of the South East, including South Tipperary and parts of North Tipp.
The Tipperary branch of the Social Democrats says the local water infrastructure is in dire need of an upgrade with major deficiencies in the service.
The party’s Communications Officer in the Premier Alan Moynihan says Uisce Éireann has proposed three pronged approach of reducing leakage, promoting a reduction of usage and upgrading the system in general.
“We believe that the focus should needs to be put on a reduction of leakage – it’s the easiest one to approach. It takes the burden of responsibility off of the consumer and off of the general public and puts it in the hands of the supply.
“I think that’s the best place to start because it’s the most achievable and if you take away the vast amount of leakage that’s occurring on the system then you go a long way to improving the general supply that’s available for consumers.”
Alan Moynihan says the controversial plans to pipe water from the Shannon Basin to Dublin make no sense.
The party is of the view that resolving issues around leakage would be far better than pumping 350 million litres a day from Parteen to the capital.
The project has met with considerable opposition from residents in the North Tipp area.
Alan Moynihan says there are far better solutions to solving the issues of water supply in Dublin.
“Absolutely, again it goes back to what’s the most achievable goal of this whole plan? Reduce water wastage. Upgrade the infrastructure and make the supply more reliable.
I think the people of Tipperary have been vastly let down by the supply of water to the region. In a Parliamentary Question tabled by Deputy Roisin Shortall it stated that Tipperary had the second most boil water notices in the country along with Waterford. It just goes to show the lack of attention that’s being paid to the area.”
