Dundalk councillor gets update from Irish Water on burst pipes issue on Quay Street

A Dundalk councillor has welcomed an update from Irish Water about the remedial action that is being taken to deal with the pipe bursting problem at Quay Street, but has urged the utility to speed up the process.

The waste water main on Quay Street has burst three times in recent months, causing extensive flooding to the area, Cllr. Anne Campbell says.

Following the latest incident, which happened in March, Cllr Campbell wrote to Irish Water seeking an update on their proposals to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

In an email to the Sinn Féin representative, Irish Water said:

"Irish Water understands the concern of property owners affected by these incidents and apologises for any inconvenience caused.

"A detailed assessment of the main will be required so that the most appropriate solution can be identified. Following this assessment Irish Water will provide an update on the proposed solution including timescales for delivery. This assessment is currently being prioritized by Irish Water.

"In the interim Irish Water has implemented a number of operational measures to mitigate against any impact should another burst occur. The pumps at the pumping station that transfers wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant will automatically shut down in the event of another burst and a call out alarm will notify the relevant person so that appropriate measures can be put in place to minimise any impact". 

In response to the update from Irish Water, Cllr Campbell said:

"I welcome the news that Irish Water is taking this problem seriously, because residents and businesses in the area have put up with enough in recent months. However, I would urge Irish Water to prioritise this ‘detailed assessment’ and ensure that whatever work they discover that needs to be done is completed as soon as possible".