Text alert service launched in Laois providing water supply updates

Uisce Éireann has launched a new free-to-use Text Alerts service which will provide water supply updates for over 23,396 households in Laois.

The text alert system will be the first time that all of Uisce Éireann’s customers will be able to sign up and receive notifications for their area. The service provides customers with details of supply interruptions that are expected to last longer than four hours. It will also include details on planned and unplanned outages and boil water notices should they be needed to protect public health. 

Research carried out by IPSOS B&A on behalf of Uisce Éireann shows that almost three quarters of its customers want to hear about water services with over half of businesses indicating they are interested in being regularly notified. 

Recently Uisce Éireann came under fire over a failure to notify householders about a widespread water outage in Mountmellick. At a July Council meeting  councillor Paddy Bracken said that Uisce Éireann should have notified householders and businesses about the planned water outage on Thursday, July 18 as a website notice was not sufficient. Cllr Bracken also asked the council to send an official letter of complaint to Uisce Éireann which was agreed at the meeting. 

Geoffrey Bourke, Head of Customer Operations at Uisce Éireann said: “As Uisce Éireann carries out its day-to-day operational work and maintenance alongside a billion-euro worth of capital investment each year, we are aware that these works can have short-term impacts on water services to our customers. This Text Alerts service along with our current supports including the dedicated online outage portal on water.ie means homes and businesses are kept fully up to date on what to expect and when.

“We are supporting our customers with timely, accurate information which helps to keep all customers up to date on outages to the water supply network. 

“In the past year, our figures show that we had more than two million interactions with customers via a range of channels including phone calls, texts and emails.

“From our research, while over half of customers are aware of who to contact in the event of a water outage, we are committed to ensuring that all are fully aware and have information provided in an ease of access manner. 

“We are confident that the roll-out of this new service will play a crucial role in driving even more awareness of our work in communities across Ireland to deliver a clean, safe and reliable water supply. The service is easy to use, and I encourage people to avail of it by following the registration steps through water.ie.”

Customers can sign up to the text alert by inputting their Eircode and mobile number via the Uisce Éireann website water.ie.