Cork city drinking water update

Stargate

items wrote: »

Thanks, just sent her a message through this site, will see how it goes, hope yous are all OK down there.

Its a bit better than it was items thats for sure , but still a lot of people without running water etc , very kind of you to offer help by the way !!!!!!!

As a Corkman , i Thank You :pac:

items

Stargate wrote: »

Its a bit better than it was items thats for sure , but still a lot of people without running water etc , very kind of you to offer help by the way !!!!!!!

As a Corkman , i Thank You :pac:

No bother, where is all the people without a home being held?

nesf

items wrote: »

No bother, where is all the people without a home being held?

They're being housed in hotels I think. I don't know which ones though.

items

nesf wrote: »

They're being housed in hotels I think. I don't know which ones though.

Fair play, no shortage of those I guess.

Vivara

OK, went to brush teeth (yes at 4am) and found tap which wasn't working is now working. I'm on the Douglas Road, which has been without water for two days now. I can't run down to check mains now, but if there's water coming from a toilet tap (i.e. tank), and it wasn't coming before, does that mean our water is back?

Stargate

nesf wrote: »

They're being housed in hotels I think. I don't know which ones though.

Tnx nesf , i didnt get a chance to answer items because i had to go offline , same here i dont know which hotels they are being housed sorry .

Its late , sounds like things have eased a little outside ! Nite nesf .

Stargate

Vivara wrote: »

OK, went to brush teeth (yes at 4am) and found tap which wasn't working is now working. I'm on the Douglas Road, which has been without water for two days now. I can't run down to check mains now, but if there's water coming from a toilet tap (i.e. tank), and it wasn't coming before, does that mean our water is back?

Ed.

LoL Vivara , Are you coming in or going out at 4:25am

Enjoy the running water

Vivara

Neither! Any ideas as to my question though? Abnyone know?

Stargate

Vivara wrote: »

Neither! Any ideas as to my question though? Abnyone know?

Info for you Vivara .............

Hi All,

I am a city councillor and deputy Lord Mayor of Cork.

Just to allay fears:

Firstly, the supply of water to Cork County is perfectly stable. Water is from two sources, Farmers Cross, which hasn't been effected and Inniscarra, which is ABOVE the dam. So there will be absolutely no disruption to the supply in Rochestown, Carrigaline, Ballincollig, the county side of Douglas or any other area in the Cork County Council local authority area.

With regard to City Council supply - THE SUPPLY IS NOT BEING TURNED OFF AT ANY STAGE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

If you currently have water, you will more than likely retain your supply.

Just to reitterate, the Council will not be turning off the water tonight.


Following an emergency City Council meeting convened this afternoon at 4pm, the following information has been made available to me.

Areas supplied by Lee Road Waterworks continue to experience supply disruption. Cork City Council Engineers have been working on the network to maximise delivery and have succeeded in stabilising supply to the Central Island and lower Blackpool, enabling businesses and shops to continue trading in these areas.

When water was released from the Inniscarra dam, over eight hundred tonnes of water was being pumped per second from the dam. Currently levels have been reduced to two hundred and fifty tonnes per second.

The Treatment plant at Lee Water works, were under 3 – 4 metres of water, levels which have never before been experienced or for that matter envisaged.

A number of people around the Marsh area of the City and on the North side of the City had to be evacuated, either because they were marooned or in serious danger of being so. These people have been housed in hotels around the City.

The Quay wall at both Grenville Place and on Sundays Well was breached. Works continued through last night (Friday night / Saturday morning) to stablise the both the quay wall and the roadway at Grenville Place. Similar works will be carried out tonight at the breach on the Sunday’s Well side.

As of yet engineers have still not been able to gain access to all the damaged valves at the Lee Water Works, owing to the large amount of flood water still at the site, and as a result we have no realistic idea of when the City’s water supply will be restored. Once access can be made to the pumps, they will need to be dismantled and dried out and reassembled.

I would urge everybody to be conscious of your elderly neighbours at this time, and others in your area who may not be able to get to the Emergency Water Depots

Caution: Householders in affected areas should exercise caution in the use of heating systems and electrical appliances e.g. washing machines, dish washers and electrical showers.
Emergency Water Supplies

In addition to the water supplies already available though out the City, additional water points will be added over the coming days.

People are asked to bring their own containers and if you are unsure that your container is clean, the water should be boiled before use.
Sandbags.

Sandbags are available from T & A builders providers in Blackpool (T: 021 4508539)
Schools

Most schools in affected areas have confirmed their closure for the duration of the emergency. Parents should contact their individual school directly.
Public Health & Sanitation

The HSE has issued public health information and advice in the following areas:
Toilet flushing

If there is no water for flushing toilets, it is important that all water used for washing, bathing, and from cooking (i.e. water from boiled vegetables) or washing up is saved in buckets to be used for flushing. It is not necessary to flush the toilet after urination. Other sources of recycled water can also be used for flushing e.g. rain water.
Handwashing

People should ensure that they wash hands frequently – if no tap water is available, then use water from City Council tankers, hand wipes, sanitizers, etc.
Bathing infants

If tap water is not available for bathing infants, boiled and cooled tanker water or bottled water are safe alternatives. A safe alternative to bathing is to use baby wipes for hand cleansing and washing infants.
Baby food

In preparing formula feeds for infants / babies, ideally use water from a water tanker or bottled water, brought to a ‘rolling’ boil and left covered to cool for no more than half an hour, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions on making up the feed. The use of unboiled tanker water should be avoided. Use cooled boiled water or bottled water for cooling the feed once it has been made up. Ready-to-feed liquid formula could be used instead. If you buy your own bottled water, be aware that some natural mineral water may have high sodium content. Look at the label for sodium or `Na’ and check its level is not higher than 200mg a litre. If it is, then try to use different water. If no other water is available, then use this water for as short a time as possible. It is important to keep babies hydrated.
Boiling water

Containers – ensure that containers for water carrying and / or storage are clean.

If the quality of the container cannot be guaranteed, it may be advisable to boil water before use – this will be for drinking and food preparation. All water for these purposes should be brought to a boil and then allowed to cool before using. Only water which has been boiled or bottled water should be used for brushing teeth, washing food, cooking and making ice.

Remember that boiling water can carry a risk of scalding accidents. It is advisable to use a kettle rather than pots and pans. If you must use open containers such as pots and pans, then special care should be taken when young children or vulnerable people are involved. Keep panhandles turned inwards when boiling water in pans so that children cannot reach them.
Food washing

It is advisable to boil water before use for drinking and food preparation purposes.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at any stage for further information, or indeed if you or your neightbours find yourselves in any difficulty, mobile number 086 0829371

---

Hope it helps

Stargate

Vivara

What I'm asking is:

Is the water coming from my tap due to a small build-up of water in the tank or because the water supply in my area is back on? We are usually pumped by the Lee Road, and have been without water for two days

or

Has water been restored to the Douglas Road (which was affected for two days) and we are part of the 'central island' which engineers have been able to resolve?

big zeb

i'm working the graveyard shift (on the douglas road too) and our taps are still as dry as an arabs flip-flop. hope its sorted soon though. this not being able to flush the jacks is like something out of the third world

Vivara wrote: »

What I'm asking is:

Is the water coming from my tap due to a small build-up of water in the tank or because the water supply in my area is back on? We are usually pumped by the Lee Road, and have been without water for two days

or

Has water been restored to the Douglas Road (which was affected for two days) and we are part of the 'central island' which engineers have been able to resolve?

dewdrop

Again thanks to Laura McGoningle...can she indicate roughly what parts of the city (if any) are supplied from the Inniscarra Treatment Works (which is situated across the road from the dam and pumps the water from the dam for treatment). Obviously if you knew you were getting it from this source there would be no need to buy water and may i suggest we could offer it to people who are cut off. I would respectfully suggest comments should concentrate on the water supply rather than technical details of how to mend the pumps. I know this is a key factor but all i want to know will be water be cut off in the future or is it coming from an unaffected source. I live in Blackrock near the old Dunlop Social Club

fulhamfanincork

Sorry lads but I need to know the school situation, how will we know if they remain closed?

sunnyside

nesf wrote: »

They're being housed in hotels I think. I don't know which ones though.

The Rochestown Park and the Doughcloyne (in Togher). I rang to ask if any help was required and the guy on the phone said no, that the council and others are taking excellent care of the people affected.

fulhamfanincork wrote: »

Sorry lads but I need to know the school situation, how will we know if they remain closed?

Radio stations in the morning or ring your local garda station maybe. If it's possible for you to drive to the school in the morning that might be the best way to get info. Like everything else at the momet I don't think anybody knows for sure, things are changing on a constant basis but if the school doesn't have water it won't open.

To the plumber who posted here offering help, that's one of the nicest posts I've seen here in ages. I posted another thread yesterday asking about volunteering to help. Lots of people want to help but there's no info around on what we can do. Maybe Laura could find out where help is required.

Solair

If your water supply has not been disrupted until now, you are not connected to the Lee Road waterworks and it's highly unlikely that you have any problems with your supply.

If your water supply was interrupted earlier but is now back on, i.e. you're in the central island part of the city centre, lower Blackpool etc play safe and boil any drinking water or drink/wash your teeth with bottled water as there is a slight possibility that there could be contaminated flood water in the system.

The City Centre area clearly can be connected to other supplies to prevent total loss of service to the central business district, hence the partial restoration of supplies.

Other areas that have been cut off look like they're going to remain off until the pumping station's back online again, or the engineers have worked out some kind of alternative arrangement.

The main thing is that if your water has been off, is intermittent, discoloured, or smells strange boil it before consuming it.

Again though, it is important to stress that large areas of the suburbs are totally unaffected as they are not supplied by the Lee Road waterworks.

Emergency Water Supplies

Emergency water supplies are being provided in affected areas. Water tankers to provide this service are located in:

• Ballyvolane Shopping Centre
• Blackpool Shopping Centre
• Hollyhill Shopping Centre
• St. Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital, Gurranabraher
• Nemo Rangers GAA, South Douglas Road

Hydrant Stand Pipes are also in place in the following areas:

• Musgrave Part (Entrance), Pearse Road, Ballyphehane
• Ardmahon Estate, Ballinlough
• Junction Togher Road / Clashduv Road
• Sandymount Drive, Summerstown Grove, Glasheen
• Mardyke Walk (opp. UCC Sports Complex)

If you have no water, get some of that hand sanitizing gel and use it before preparing food / eating etc etc

Councillor Laura McGonigle, Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, is keeping people up-to-date via her personal website:
http://lauramcgonigle.ie/

Cork City Council has info at http://www.corkcity.ie/

Telephone info:

Cork City Council Contact Numbers for queries 8am – 6pm on Saturday 21st and 8am – 10pm Sunday 22nd November are:

021 492-4178

021 492-4679

021 492-4228

021 492-4255

I'd say try to keep any calls to those numbers for urgent queries only, they have published them on their website, but there's no point in clogging the lines either.

96fm and RedFm are both supplying excellent info too!

Dob74

When is Free bottled water going to be supplied? Why hasn't there been any information over the radio?
Who is in charge the mayor or the city manager?
Are the ESB going to have to pay compo?
Is it true that they where holding back the dam because they where looking for a body since the 11?
And that this has caused the current mess?
When is water going to be turned on?

Solair

Well, in answer to your first point:

There has been absolutely no announcement on this whatsoever. I'd say funds will have to come from the Government and our very shy, delicate flower of a Taoiseach seems to be in hiding, or is too busy writing enormous cheques to banks or something.

In answer to your second point:

The Mayor is not in charge, as Irish local authorities do not have elected officials with executive powers. The elected councillors act as a legislature / consultative panel and the executive powers are held by the city or county manager.

It's a bit of a strange and highly unaccountable system. As you can see above, the Deputy Mayor is doing a huge amount of work, but, because of the system she does not have any serious power.

If she did, you might have a different scenario where stuff might actually get done! (Shock/horror!)

With regards to the ESB, again nobody knows until an investigation is carried out and the facts are established.

The water will be turned on as soon as possible I would assume. They're trying to get the pumps and the treatment station sorted out.

I agree though, that there is a ridiculous information vacuum. The bureaucracy at city hall isn't really doing its job with regards to communicating with the public.
There should be hourly press updates on the website and a constant news conference going on feeding info to journalists.
They're not even providing the councillors with sufficient information by the looks of things, never mind the ordinary citizens!

How hard would it be to produce a quick map of Cork with areas fed by Lee Road vs Areas fed by other systems and whack it up on the website?!!?

cornbb

Solair wrote: »

I agree though, that there is a ridiculous information vacuum. The bureaucracy at city hall isn't really doing its job with regards to communicating with the public.
There should be hourly press updates on the website and a constant news conference going on feeding info to journalists.
They're not even providing the councillors with sufficient information by the looks of things, never mind the ordinary citizens!

Thanks for the info, but I disagree with you on this point. Laura in particular has done something great by registering here and engaging directly with us. And there wouldn't be much point in hourly press updates unless the situation is changing hour-by-hour, which it isn't.

How hard would it be to produce a quick map of Cork with areas fed by Lee Road vs Areas fed by other systems and whack it up on the website?!!?

That would indeed be useful, as well as maybe a map of where to go to get water (I'm new to Cork and unfamiliar with all these places).

Solair

cornbb wrote: »

Thanks for the info, but I disagree with you on this point. Laura in particular has done something great by registering here and engaging directly with us. And there wouldn't be much point in hourly press updates unless the situation is changing hour-by-hour, which it isn't.



That would indeed be useful, as well as maybe a map of where to go to get water (I'm new to Cork and unfamiliar with all these places).

I'm not criticizing Laura, or indeed any of the councillors, I think they're doing a great job. Laura is really working hard to get the information out there!

It's the City Council's bureaucracy i.e. the unelected part of it that is controlled by the city manager which is not providing sufficient information.

I am at a loss as to what the City Council's press office is up to!!

In a situation like this you update CONSTANTLY even if there's no more information.

People need reassurance, otherwise you will get rumours and panic.

At the very least there should be a map on their website highlighting the areas that are affected by the water disruptions, way more technical information about what is damaged and what's being done. People aren't stupid and should be given as much information as possible.

Even providing photographs online and to newspapers, websites etc.

If you don't provide ALL the information, people will start to theorise about what might be happening and then you get lots of false information going around which could be very counter-productive e.g. people unnecessarily stockpiling water in baths etc in areas that are totally unaffected etc putting what limited supplies are there under unnecessary strain.

The more information that is provided, the more people can plan, cope and feel reassured.

We're not looking for spin, we're looking for honest, accurate, raw facts. People know the situation's a total mess!

What's happening at the moment is that other than the hard work being done by Laura, almost zero information is coming out via 'official channels' other than vague information via their website.

Dob74

Solair wrote: »

I'm not criticizing Laura, or indeed any of the councillors, I think they're doing a great job. Laura is really working hard to get the information out there!

It's the City Council's bureaucracy i.e. the non-elected part of it that is controlled by the city manager which is not providing sufficient information.

I am at a loss as to what the City Council's press office is up to!!

In a situation like this you update CONSTANTLY even if there's no more information.

People need reassurance, otherwise you will get rumours and panic.

At the very least there should be a map on their website highlighting the areas that are affected by the water disruptions, way more technical information about what is damaged and what's being done. People aren't stupid and should be given as much information as possible.

Even providing photographs online and to newspapers, websites etc.

The more information that is provided, the more people can plan, cope and feel reassured.

What's happening at the moment is that other than the hard work being done by Laura, almost zero information is coming out via 'official channels' other than vague information via their website.

This feels like hurricane Katrina, now I know how the people of New Orleans felt.
:mad::mad::mad:

Completely abandoned by central government.

A quick survey does anyone have a ready to go water container?

Anyone know how long a heating system(gas) will last without water?

adamd164

Am on the Douglas Road. We've had no water since early Friday morning (supplied by Lee Road waterworks).

Can't use shower, can't turn on heating, can't use washing machine, have to use bottled water to wash dishes.

And I hear the Minister on radio telling us how flooding provisions have been a success!

Solair

Dob74 wrote: »

This feels like hurricane Katrina, now I know how the people of New Orleans felt.
:mad::mad::mad:

Completely abandoned by central government.

A quick survey does anyone have a ready to go water container?

Anyone know how long a heating system(gas) will last without water?

'Hydronic' (water filled radiator) heating systems are closed i.e. they do not normally take-in fresh water unless there is a major leak in the pipework or they are being re-filled manually. The same water circulates around the system, through the radiators and the boiler over and over again.

So, in short you should not have any problems with a gas, oil, or any other radiator-based system unless the system's faulty.

Instantaneous heaters are the issue :

i.e. electric showers should not be used and if you have a combination gas boiler or a dedicated instantaneous boiler that heats water for your shower independently of your radiators you should switch that off, or switch off the hot water function on combi-boilers.

Also, ensure that your immersion is fully switched off. Some people may have them on timers etc. You could burn out the elements if it heats and there is no water / low water in the hot water cylinder.

Also switch off any shower pressure booster pumps.

Also make sure that any washing machines and dishwashers are switched off. Ideally, you should actually close the water valve behind the machine to prevent grit and gunk going into the fill valves when the water does eventually come back on.

When the water is restored, run it at your kitchen tap until it runs clear. Only re-start any water-consuming appliances AFTER the water is clear.


After the water has been restored, you'll need to flush out your attic tank etc, by running water e.g. via the bath until it's clear again.

It's very advisable NOT to run :

1) hot taps - you will get gunk and grit into the hot water cylinder.
2) showers - you can clog the shower heads / damage thermostatic valves with grit.
3) shower pumps - grit can clog them.

Experts only:

If you know how to turn off the stop cock to your attic tank, it's advisable to do so as you will prevent gunk from flowing into your house's water system. Once the water is running clear again, you can switch it back on and it saves a lot of messing!

I would strongly suggest however, if you do not know where the valves are for this, DO NOT attempt to close anything as you could be isolating part of your heating system or something totally random.

sunnyside

Dob74 wrote: »

When is water going to be turned on?

It's not as simple as turning the water on, there isn't a switch somewhere that they can flick. It involves huge machinery which is still underwater. That machinery has to be taken apart, cleaned, repaired and re-assembled before they can turn the water back on. Somebody who understands this process posted here yesterday and explained very well.

Holding back the water to search for the missing man was definitely the right thing to do at the time.

Solair wrote: »

In a situation like this you update CONSTANTLY even if there's no more information.

People need reassurance, otherwise you will get rumours and panic.

.

This is a huge PR problem. In recent times with twitter, message boards, CNN type news reporting, etc people have come to expect constant updates. The council are years behind with this. They are reporting on the problem in the same way they would have done 5 years ago which isn't acceptable to most people nowadays.

sunnyside

adamd164 wrote: »

And I hear the Minister on radio telling us how flooding provisions have been a success!

It has been to the extent that the majority of the city centre was cleared of water within hours, the drinking water didn't get contaminated. Clean water is being provided in tanks. Nobody was killed or hurt, nobody in Cork is going to die of cholera.....to that end it's a success. Of course it's going to be majorly inconvenient but that's not as bad as putting people in danger.

hill1

Hi I have been reading the posts here, and I have to say that I have gotten more info then on the official sites.
one thing I would ask people who have transport is to look after their neighbors who do not have anyway of getting water. Before I went looking for water yesterday I just knocked on a few doors to make sure everyone was OK, and I was surprised at the amount of people who just have no way of getting water. so just to say it could be a long week and to keep in mind that no one was ready for this, and that there is a lot of elderly people who just don't have the ways or means to get water. Thanks

sporina

fair play

Dob74

sunnyside wrote: »

It's not as simple as turning the water on, there isn't a switch somewhere that they can flick. It involves huge machinery which is still underwater. That machinery has to be taken apart, cleaned, repaired and re-assembled before they can turn the water back on. Somebody who understands this process posted here yesterday and explained very well.

Holding back the water to search for the missing man was definitely the right thing to do at the time.

Are you taking the piss?
Holding back the water was an extermly stupid thing to do.

Now 50,000 people are without water, how many of them are going to get sick because of this.

If it was some drug addict from Knocka in the river, do you think they would have held the dam back for a week?
The living are more important than the dead

sunnyside

hill1 wrote: »

Hi I have been reading the posts here, and I have to say that I have gotten more info then on the official sites.
one thing I would ask people who have transport is to look after their neighbors who do not have anyway of getting water. Before I went looking for water yesterday I just knocked on a few doors to make sure everyone was OK, and I was surprised at the amount of people who just have no way of getting water. so just to say it could be a long week and to keep in mind that no one was ready for this, and that there is a lot of elderly people who just don't have the ways or means to get water. Thanks

+1 And just to add that anybody in that situation, pick up the phone and call the garda station. They have community Gardai delivering water to people who can't get it themselves. They don't have the resources to knock on every single door to ask if we're ok. If they know where help is needed they will provide it but you have to ask.

Solair

sunnyside wrote: »

Holding back the water to search for the missing man was definitely the right thing to do at the time.

Given the weather forecasts at the time, I don't agree. It was a very questionable decision if it did happen. I don't mean to be cold and heartless, but, it's sheer luck that nobody was killed and there quite easily could have been a lot worse, particularly if there had been any kind of structural collapses. It's only through a combination of luck and the very hard work of emergency services, gardai and volunteers that it wasn't an absolute disaster.

sunnyside wrote: »

It has been to the extent that the majority of the city centre was cleared of water within hours, the drinking water didn't get contaminated. Clean water is being provided in tanks. Nobody was killed or hurt, nobody in Cork is going to die of cholera.....to that end it's a success. Of course it's going to be majorly inconvenient but that's not as bad as putting people in danger.

True, but we still have several days without water to go and the way things are being managed at the moment, it wouldn't surprise me if there are a some elderly people in dire circumstances already.

Also, without proper sanitation in an urban area, public health issues are enormous. This isn't over until the water's flowing through the pipes again.

It's is VERY important that you knock on doors and check people are ok if you're in an area without water at the moment.

There are plenty of elderly, and quite immobile people out there who may be in big trouble and going unnoticed.

sunnyside

Dob74 wrote: »

Are you taking the piss?
Holding back the water was an extermly stupid thing to do.

Now 50,000 people are without water, how many of them are going to get sick because of this.

If it was some drug addict from Knocka in the river, do you think they would have held the dam back for a week?
The living are more important than the dead

If that missing man was a member of your family you may think differently. The emergency services do so much wonderful work but no matter what they do some people will never be happy.

Nobody is going to get sick over this. Yes people will suffer massive inconvenience but clean water is being provided and if you can't get to the supply the Gardai and others will assist you if you call.

We all have to work with the council and emergency services here not against them and help them by helping one another.