Improvement in Water Supply to Customers
20 January 2015 23:48
Improvement in Water Supply to Customers
NI Water can confirm Lough Braden Water Treatment Works in the Tyrone area has been brought back into service, and associated downstream Service Reservoirs are recovering. It may take time for the system to fully recharge and customer supplies to be restored to normal. Airlocks may also cause some difficulties in the system; this will impact on restoration times in a small number of cases.
3,200 properties currently remain without a water supply.
Areas still affected include:
West Tyrone/Fermanagh - Ederney, Kesh, Lack, Killen, Killeter, Irvinestown, Trillick, Sixmilecross, Dromore and Fintona.
Static tanks have been deployed in the above areas.
NI Water continues to work to minimise disruption to customers’ supplies and where appropriate will be providing alternative supplies. The location of the alternative water supplies (water from plastic tanks) will be available via the postcode search on niwater.com or by contacting us on 08457 440088. Customers will need to bring their own containers to collect water from the tanks. Customers should boil the water before use.
Supply interruptions being suffered by our customers are not planned or predictable and we are doing all we can to maintain supplies. We will inform customers of water supply problems as soon as we can through our web-site, social media, and through the local press and media. Where possible – we will also proactively contact vulnerable customers and stakeholders, such as elected representatives, in advance of supply problems.
We are also tankering water, around the clock, to local Service Reservoirs to maintain Water Supplies.
NI Water fully recognises this is a frustrating experience for our customers, and can assure them we are doing everything possible to restore water supplies. NI Water would like to once again thank our customers for their continued patience whilst this problem is being resolved.
We appeal to customers to use water wisely and help conserve the remaining water supplies.
NI Water has mobilised all resources at its disposal to deal with this latest incident, however, due to the limited resources available to us, our response has been restricted.
Unfortunately though, with 26,000kms of watermains,15,000kms of sewers and literally thousands of pumping stations and treatment works to monitor, it was virtually inevitable there will be interruptions to services to our customers.
NI Water remains on high alert with a Major Incident regime in place and we are committed to continued engagement with Trade Unions in an effort to resolve this dispute. The company would stress once more the key demand that pension reform be delayed is not within its gift to provide. It believes dialogue rather than causing disruption represents the best way forward.
Customers can visit niwater.com for further advice and updates or call our contact centre on 08457 440088.
Ends