Meath County Council has backed two motions from Cllr Caroline O’Reilly calling for improvements in how Uisce Éireann deals with water outages and how roads and footpaths are reinstated after works. The first motion focuses on communication with residents during outages, while the second calls for proper standards and follow-up when roads are dug up for water works.
Cllr O’Reilly said residents need much clearer information when their water supply is disrupted. “I’ve dealt with so many water outages at this stage and one of the biggest frustrations for people is not knowing what is happening.
“If your water goes off, you want to know where the problem is, what has happened and roughly when it is coming back. People can make arrangements if they have the information. It’s the not knowing that drives people mad.” One of the specific changes sought by Cllr O’Reilly is to the text notifications sent customers.
“At the moment you can get a text telling you there’s an outage and giving you a link to click, but the text itself doesn’t even tell you where the outage is. Put the location and the basic information in the actual text. People shouldn’t have to go looking for it.”
The motion also calls for updated restoration times when circumstances change ,better real-time information for customer service staff and elected representatives, and clear information on bottled water or tankers where an outage becomes prolonged
“If the restoration time changes, tell people. If there’s a delay with the repair, tell them. Even if there isn’t a new time yet, an update is better than leaving people wondering what is going on. “And where people are going to be without water for a long period, they need to
know what alternative supply is being provided and where they can get it.”
Roads must be put back properly.
Cllr O’Reilly’s second motion deals with the condition of roads and footpaths after Uisce Éireann works.
“I have no issue with a road being dug up when work needs to be done. If there’s a burst, obviously they have to get in and fix it. My issue is how that road is left afterwards. “I’ve seen too many places where you’re left with dips, hollows or raised sections. Some of them aren’t just a bad finish, they are actually dangerous, particularly for
cyclists and motorcyclists.
“It’s fairly straightforward as far as I’m concerned. If you dig up a road, put it back properly. We wouldn’t accept a poor standard from Meath County Council, so we shouldn’t accept it from anybody else carrying out works on our roads.” The motion calls for reinstatement works to meet the same standards expected by Meath County Council’s Transportation Department and to comply with the relevant national standards.#
Cllr O’Reilly also wants proper follow-up where a reinstatement begins to sink or deteriorate after the initial works have been completed.
“A job might look fine when it is first finished and then a few weeks or months later it starts to sink. There has to be an inspection process and clear responsibility for going back and fixing it.
“I’m very glad both motions received the backing of the Council. Neither of these things is complicated. When people lose their water, give them clear and useful information. And when you dig up a road, put it back properly.”
