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Cork city drinking water update

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Comments

  • #32
    beer enigma
    Registered Users Posts: 6,131 ✭✭✭beer enigma


    parsi wrote: »
    I swung past there a few minutes ago expecting hordes of people clamouring for water but all it was was just a guy from the Corpo and a stand pipe.

    It wasn't advertised so I don't think many people know about it which is why I posted - Ardmahon has water but the houses further down the park don't - silver key still has beer though :)


  • #33
    shnaek
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭shnaek


    Up in St Lukes here myself and the water is gone. Does that mean you can't switch on the heating? Will the radiators airlock? We've got gas heating here. I've asked a few people and noone seems to know.


  • #34
    parsi
    Site Banned Posts: 5,904 ✭✭✭parsi


    You need to keep a close eye on your expansion tank (probably the smaller of the two tanks in your attic).

    If that's emptying when the heats on then you've problems.


  • #35
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    shnaek wrote: »
    Up in St Lukes here myself and the water is gone. Does that mean you can't switch on the heating? Will the radiators airlock? We've got gas heating here. I've asked a few people and noone seems to know.
    No they wont airlock unless you have a major major leak in your system , your heating should just be filled once and then thats it unless you get work done on the system.
    You should be fine work away.


  • #36
    shnaek
    Registered Users Posts: 1,164 ✭✭✭shnaek


    Thanks guys. That's great. I was just getting the heavy woolly jumpers out!


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  • #37
    sunnyside
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,428 ✭✭✭sunnyside


    shoegirl wrote: »
    I see the army supplies expect you to bring your own container. Where can you get suitable containers as basically as I got is a B&Q bucket?

    What about people living in the city who don't have cars? There is a real screw you mentality from the ESB and the council.

    Best container would be an empty 5 litle water bottle from a supermarket--the ones we recycle all the time. After this I'm going to keep a few empty ones in the shed just in case.

    As for people who don't have cars and that is loads I'd imagine they aren't trying to screw you. They are doing the best they can with the supermarket car park tankers given the circumstances.


    The council were not prepared for this mess. The best they can do is provide general assistance. They don't have the resources to provide individual assistance.

    I'm sure a friend or neighbour who has a car can help you out, same as the UCC students are helping one another out.

    We all have to work with the council not against them to sort this mess out. Of course it's awful that there's no water but honestly it's only for a few days at most. We are lucky to be living in a country where we know services will be restored as soon as possible. In the meantime we have bottled water and the water tanks. Nobody in Cork is going to die from Cholera.


  • #38
    Plasmoid
    Registered Users Posts: 117 ✭✭Plasmoid


    shnaek wrote: »
    Up in St Lukes here myself and the water is gone. Does that mean you can't switch on the heating? Will the radiators airlock? We've got gas heating here. I've asked a few people and noone seems to know.

    Proabably not. Most gas central heating is a sealed system with a way valve for filling up when it drops low or to get it started.

    There are the rare few that do run off the mains though... like my grandmothers.

    Overlooked nemo on the tanker list. Forgot that was on the south side :D Thanks parsi for that


  • #39
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users Posts: 7,515 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Plasmoid wrote: »
    Proabably not. Most gas central heating is a sealed system with a way valve for filling up when it drops low or to get it started.

    There are the rare few that do run off the mains though... like my grandmothers.

    Overlooked nemo on the tanker list. Forgot that was on the south side :D Thanks parsi for that
    no heating system i know of runs off the mains ??


  • #40
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    superhooper wrote: »
    Obviously everything is ok now in Cork City as the City Council offices are closed and they haven't updated their web-site today. I'm sure if the water supplies were under threat they would at least have an answering service informing people of affected areas.:rolleyes:

    I'm not going to go into details that aren't publicly available but the engineers etc have been working day and night to try and sort this out. They're working today and will be working tonight and tomorrow trying to get this sorted but they're facing a nightmarish task until the water levels drop.

    You're talking about getting 8-10 ton pumps out of a flooded building and get them taken apart, cleaned and tested before trying to get them back in again. This all assumes you can keep water out of this building and specifically the sumps where the pumps are that are below ground level since the pumps won't work if they are underwater since the station hasn't seen any kind of flooding in well over 50 years (we're talking about a freak event that caused this whole mess).


  • #41
    nacl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭nacl


    nesf wrote: »
    I'm not going to go into details that aren't publicly available but the engineers etc have been working day and night to try and sort this out. They're working today and will be working tonight and tomorrow trying to get this sorted but they're facing a nightmarish task until the water levels drop.

    You're talking about getting 8-10 ton pumps out of a flooded building and get them taken apart, cleaned and tested before trying to get them back in again. This all assumes you can keep water out of this building and specifically the sumps where the pumps are that are below ground level since the pumps won't work if they are underwater since the station hasn't seen any kind of flooding in well over 50 years (we're talking about a freak event that caused this whole mess).

    Thank you for that.

    But why are the details not publicly available?


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  • #42
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    mrziggy wrote: »
    I just read that the supply is expected to be disrupted for 4-5 days at:
    http://lauramcgonigle.ie/2009/11/20/water-shortage-alert-cork-city/

    I also read this:
    "Earlier, an ESB spokesman said it was not their responsibility to inform the residents of Cork city that they were releasing massive volumes of water from a dam." from http://www.independent.ie/national-news/cork-city-left-under-water-as-esb-opens-floodgates-1950229.html

    This will surely raise some questions as to who controls when the dam is opened. The ESB might have saved us from worse but it still raises questions. People don't trust them.

    The ESB notified the media that they were going to have to release water from the dam because it was reaching dangerously high levels. There is a limit beyond which the have no choice but to release water else they risk structural damage to the dam. If the ESB could have put off releasing water they would have since, well, they aren't idiots.


  • #43
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    nacl wrote: »
    Thank you for that.

    But why are the details not publicly available?

    Don't ask me. I just know people working on the problem right now. I know no-one on the side which would be releasing information.

    Most of the issues wouldn't make any sense to someone who didn't understand how a pumping station would normally work tbh.


  • #44
    beer enigma
    Registered Users Posts: 6,131 ✭✭✭beer enigma


    Guy down the park just bought a camping water container from an army surplus store in cork for a tenner - holds about 8 gallons (heavy to lift) but fills from the top and has a tap at the bottom


  • #45
    Papa_Lazarou
    Registered Users Posts: 1,863 ✭✭✭Papa_Lazarou


    Just heard theres a good chance the water in togher will be going off soon....dont know how true it is though


  • #46
    simu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭simu


    Andip wrote: »
    Guy down the park just bought a camping water container from an army surplus store in cork for a tenner - holds about 8 gallons (heavy to lift) but fills from the top and has a tap at the bottom

    Where is that shop btw?


  • #47
    beer enigma
    Registered Users Posts: 6,131 ✭✭✭beer enigma


    nesf wrote: »
    The ESB notified the media that they were going to have to release water from the dam because it was reaching dangerously high levels. There is a limit beyond which the have no choice but to release water else they risk structural damage to the dam. If the ESB could have put off releasing water they would have since, well, they aren't idiots.

    Word I got was that the dam was in danger of breaching - they had no choice - god knows the damage if the dam had gone - I don't think anyone expected the quantity of water !

    I'm a claims manager & the phone is just ringing off the hook! Yeah the water release caused property damage, but we can fix that - dam breach could have cost lives - we can't fix that ...


  • #48
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    Andip wrote: »
    Word I got was that the dam was in danger of breaching - they had no choice - god knows the damage if the dam had gone - I don't think anyone expected the quantity of water !

    I'm a claims manager & the phone is just ringing off the hook! Yeah the water release caused property damage, but we can fix that - dam breach could have cost lives - we can't fix that ...

    Exactly. The dam had something like six times the normal level of water behind it, they had no choice but to start releasing it downstream. Thing is, the dam stops the lower lying areas of Cork from flooding the vast majority of the time, it's just people don't realise it.


  • #49
    nacl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭nacl


    Andip wrote: »
    Word I got was that the dam was in danger of breaching - they had no choice - god knows the damage if the dam had gone - I don't think anyone expected the quantity of water !

    I'm a claims manager & the phone is just ringing off the hook! Yeah the water release caused property damage, but we can fix that - dam breach could have cost lives - we can't fix that ...

    Why when and how much they released is probably for another thread.


  • #50
    beer enigma
    Registered Users Posts: 6,131 ✭✭✭beer enigma


    simu wrote: »
    Where is that shop btw?

    Dunno tbh only one I can think of is by the old Woodforde bar ? I know Halfords sell camping gear too - may be worth getting golden pages out


  • #51
    deRanged
    Registered Users Posts: 3,744 ✭✭✭deRanged


    there's two camping shops down by paul street - near the great outdoors.
    then there's the tent warehouse on York St, and Mahers outdoors by Parnell place.
    all have camping equipment, so should have some degree of water containers.

    /edit I forgot the scout shop, on Macurtain st, more or less opposite York St.


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  • #52
    sunnyside
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,428 ✭✭✭sunnyside


    nesf wrote: »
    I'm not going to go into details that aren't publicly available but the engineers etc have been working day and night to try and sort this out. They're working today and will be working tonight and tomorrow trying to get this sorted but they're facing a nightmarish task until the water levels drop.

    You're talking about getting 8-10 ton pumps out of a flooded building and get them taken apart, cleaned and tested before trying to get them back in again. This all assumes you can keep water out of this building and specifically the sumps where the pumps are that are below ground level since the pumps won't work if they are underwater since the station hasn't seen any kind of flooding in well over 50 years (we're talking about a freak event that caused this whole mess).


    What I find amusing about all of this is that some people are surprised that it's going to be such a big job to fix it. They seem to think there's a switch somewhere that the council can flick to turn the water back on.

    I'm worried that it might take longer than expected to fix this.It is a huge job.


  • #53
    simu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭simu


    sunnyside wrote: »
    What I find amusing about all of this is that some people are surprised that it's going to be such a big job to fix it. They seem to think there's a switch somewhere that the council can flick to turn the water back on.

    That's why Sim City should be mandatory playing for every child. :)


  • #54
    superhooper
    Registered Users Posts: 273 ✭✭superhooper


    nesf wrote: »
    Don't ask me. I just know people working on the problem right now. I know no-one on the side which would be releasing information.

    Most of the issues wouldn't make any sense to someone who didn't understand how a pumping station would normally work tbh.

    Most people know what the problem is. It flooded. What we want to ensure is that our local authority issue clear and timely information e.g when ringing the City Council you shouldn't get a message saying its offices's are closed. A simple message would help. This kind of crap is what gives our public servants a bad rap despite the fact that there are council workers all over the city trying to rectify the situation.

    I do note that the Director of Emergency Services updated the website this PM so there is hope.


  • #55
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    sunnyside wrote: »
    What I find amusing about all of this is that some people are surprised that it's going to be such a big job to fix it. They seem to think there's a switch somewhere that the council can flick to turn the water back on.

    I'm worried that it might take longer than expected to fix this.It is a huge job.

    It's a huge job. Without the Lee Waterworks running there's no water going into many of the reservoirs. That means we're going to run out of water.

    Any pump that was flooded needs be completely taken apart, each piece washed, cleaned and dried and then the unit needs to be reassembled and tested. Otherwise the pump could short circuit and blow when power is turned back on and that would mean far longer delays. There's no easy way around this, all the pumps need to be taken out of there, brought to a workshop where skilled people can do their job and then brought back and put in again before water can be got flowing. This all assumes that the station doesn't flood again in the meantime.


  • #56
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    superhooper wrote: »
    Most people know what the problem is. It flooded.

    Sure but most people don't know what's been flooded, what needs to be done to fix it or what amount of work is involved and why it can't be done "quickly". Most people probably only have a limited understanding of how the whole water system works through no fault of their own since it's not exactly useful information for anyone except people who work in this area.


  • #57
    shoegirl
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭shoegirl


    sunnyside wrote: »
    What I find amusing about all of this is that some people are surprised that it's going to be such a big job to fix it.

    I don't think people are surprised, many towns are waiting decades for upgrades to stabilize water quality so its well realised that for whatever reasons, any sort of work on water supplies appears to be at the extreme end of slow.

    And there are two separate problems anyway - the pumping stations cannot be fixed as long as they are flooded. If you just had one problem or the other it would be less serious.

    The real danger is for how long the situation continues and the level of damage to homes and businesses that is already done. I believe a lot of apartment buildings around the Victoria Cross/UCC area are severely damaged. A lot of the residential stock in the city is high occupancy and poor quality so there may be a lot of work to do at that level. Businesses with strong water needs like barbers and hairdressers may suffer badly, as well as shopholders with stock damage.


  • #58
    D2D
    Registered Users Posts: 8,391 ✭✭✭D2D


    I've heard that the water will be switched off in the Collage Rd area tonight. Can anyone please confirm this as I know someone in the Horgan's Building's area.


  • #59
    nacl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 66 ✭✭nacl


    nesf wrote: »
    It's a huge job. Without the Lee Waterworks running there's no water going into many of the reservoirs. That means we're going to run out of water.

    Any pump that was flooded needs be completely taken apart, each piece washed, cleaned and dried and then the unit needs to be reassembled and tested. Otherwise the pump could short circuit and blow when power is turned back on and that would mean far longer delays. There's no easy way around this, all the pumps need to be taken out of there, brought to a workshop where skilled people can do their job and then brought back and put in again before water can be got flowing. This all assumes that the station doesn't flood again in the meantime.

    Is that quicker than putting in replacement pumps?

    Or are they custom made or too awkward to buy off the shelf?


  • #60
    sunnyside
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,428 ✭✭✭sunnyside


    nesf wrote: »
    Any pump that was flooded needs be completely taken apart, each piece washed, cleaned and dried and then the unit needs to be reassembled and tested. Otherwise the pump could short circuit and blow when power is turned back on and that would mean far longer delays. There's no easy way around this, all the pumps need to be taken out of there, brought to a workshop where skilled people can do their job and then brought back and put in again before water can be got flowing. This all assumes that the station doesn't flood again in the meantime.

    I'm assuming that this is done now and again for servicing and repairs but one pump at a time...now they all need to be done together....a week seems like a very conservative estimate:eek:


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  • #61
    superhooper
    Registered Users Posts: 273 ✭✭superhooper


    nesf wrote: »
    Exactly. The dam had something like six times the normal level of water behind it, they had no choice but to start releasing it downstream. Thing is, the dam stops the lower lying areas of Cork from flooding the vast majority of the time, it's just people don't realise it.

    To be fair NESF I think you are underestimating peoples understanding of the situation. Most people know the water has to be released at some stage. The problem seems to be how the information on the extra release was relayed to the public and how it was interpreted. I heard about it on the radio and just assumed it would cause additional problems but I believe the media(as per Pascal Sheehy) were told that the release would have no effect on the levels lower down in the valley which seems bizarre.


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