Storm Éowyn: Water plants need power backups says councillor

A lack of backup power generators at water treatment plants in Cork has been described as a “chink in the armour” in the county’s preparedness for extreme weather events.

Speaking at Monday’s full meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Gillian Coughlan (Fianna Fáil) praised the response from different agencies during recent weather events.

However, the Bandon-Kinsale representative said that if power had gone in her local area, many residents would have been left without water due to a lack of backup power generators at various Uisce Éireann plants.

“If we were to find one chink in the armour, it’s with Uisce Éireann,” said Cllr Coughlan.

“To think that, of all of things, a water service provider wouldn’t have a backup generator at every reservoir and pumping station is really not good enough in this day and age, especially as, with our County Development Plan, we’re urbanising, we’re expanding our urban areas,” added the councillor.

During Storm Éowyn, the Ballinatona Water Treatment Plant suffered major disruption to its service leaving thousands of homes, farms and businesses without water.

Cllr Coughlan said she knew of farmers in Cork who were unable to give water to their animals as a result of power outages brought about by Storm Éowyn.

“We must make sure that water and wastewater are absolutely, pardon the pun, water tight as regards management,” said Cllr Coughlan.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll, agreed with Cllr Coughlan, describing the situation as a “sad state of affairs”.

The mayor added that in many cases, it was the younger homeowners in Cork who suffered the most in recent weeks as once their power went, they were left with no water and no way to heat their more modern homes.