Laois residents can't drink or wash in dirty brown water

Residents say household water supplies have turned brown in the southern corner of Laois making it unfit to drink or wash with, according to a county councillor.

Laois County County Council’s Cathaoirleach Cllr Conor Bergin wants the local authority to step in on behalf of the people affected by the problem which residents believe is caused by forestry work nearby.

Cllr Bergin, Fine Gael, tabled a motion at a recent meeting calling on the council to address the serious water quality issues for residents in Ballaghmore Upper and engage with Coillte regarding the possible damage to the water supply locally.

Mr Trevor Hennessy, Action Senior Engineer in the council’s Water Services Section replied in writing.

“Laois County Council or Irish Water currently has no public water mains in this area. This issue seems to be related to private wells.

“The Environment Section will investigate the water quality issues in the Ballaghmore Upper area. The water quality protection team will engage with Coillte if the investigation indicates that Coillte activities are impacting negatively on the water quality,” he said.

However, Cllr Bergin outlined the issue at the townland close to the Offaly border.

“The water has been seriously affected. The water is brown I have seen it myself. I don’t want to jump to conclusions about the cause but it is definitely contaminated and undrinkable,” he said.

He said residents can’t use it for laundry either.

“People are going to their nearest petrol station in Roscrea to wash clothes,” he said.

He added that there are a number elderly people with health issues who are concerned. He said forestry work is carried out nearby on higher ground and he looked forward to samples being collected.

He said it would be too expensive to connect the houses to the public mains supply while pumps installed at new wells have burned out. 

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“They are caught in no man’s land,” he said.

Cllr Bergin was supported by Cllr James Kelly, Independent, as did Cllr John King, Fine Gael. He cautioned that the source of the contamination could be some distance from the houses perhaps in another county.

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Cllr Ollie Clooney, Independent, also backed the motion adding that water supply is most important to households.