Cllrs call for greater transparency from Irish Water in relation to leaks and spills

Cllr David Healy highlighted the problem at a recent meeting of the Malahide/Howth Area Committee.

He put forward a motion stating: “That this Area Committee recommends, subsequent to the response to a question on the issue at last month’s Area Committee meeting, and in light of subsequent information about problems with communication in relation to water supply quality issues in other local authorities, that our concerns in relation to easy access to and wide dissemination of information on sewage overflows/unplanned discharges and system failures are communicated to the Minister for Housing, An Fóram Uisce and the Environmental Protection Agency.”

In response, Fingal County Council issues a short written report stating: “The Director of Service has written to Irish Water on this matter and is awaiting a response.

“If the motion is passed by the members a letter will be sent to Irish Water from the Howth/Malahide Area Committee.”

Cllr Healy said there was a “fundamental problem” with the flow of information about such incidents from Irish Water.

He said there was a service level agreement between Irish Water and Fingal County Council but in effect, Irish Water owned the information about these incidents and the council had to obtain the utility company’s permission to release it to councillors or the public.

“It’s a real problem,” the Green Party councillor said.

He added: “They (Irish Water) seem to consider this is information that’s up to them to release when they see fit.”

But Cllr Healy said the utility company had “a duty of active dissemination” of information to the public and needed, responsibly, to put the information into the public domain.

Cllr Brian McDonagh (Lab) agreed and said there was a serious problem growing where “hundreds and thousands” of houses were being built without a plan to treat the resulting wastewater.

Cllr Joan Hopkins said it was “absolutely vital” that there was more transparency in Irish Water.

Cllr Healy’s motion was agreed by the councillors on the area committee.