Water was restored to ten streets in Cork city this morning, including the Lee road, Sunday's Well road, the North Mall, Shandon street and the Watercourse road.
Director of emergency services at Cork City Council Valerie O’Sullivan said residents in the streets where water has been restored should temporarily boil their supplies before use.
“They should boil the water that is coming through their tap but certainly they can flush again and we will keep them updated on what they need to do over the coming days now.”
Council officials are hopeful running water will be restored to all homes in the city after this weekend. Cork City Council said householders and businesses could expect to receive mains water on a phased basis as the plant, reservoirs and related network are brought back into full operation over the weekend.
It follows the floods a week ago which caused serious damage to the waterworks on the Lee Road with supplies being cut off in areas of the city. 18,000 householders in Cork city have been without water for a week.
Meanwhile, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton, has issued a pastoral message in which he praises the sense of community, friendship and neighbourliness that has been shown across Cork city and county during the floods.
“From the very start there have been signs of people helping one another out - getting water for people, offering one another showers, transport and accommodation. I have been very conscious too of the extraordinary lengths that some of the city councillors and the emergency and voluntary services have been going. Everybody has made an extra effort in the midst of a time when so many of us were feeling helpless.”
The Catholic Bishop of Cork and Ross Dr John Buckley also said the work of the local authority, community leaders and the general public is to be commended. “I have seen it on close quarters here on the ground. The great co-operation and solidarity between people.”