Water tankers deployed after burst pipe cuts off supply to thousands

Water tankers were back on the streets of Galway last night after a burst pipe cut off the supply to thousands of homes and businesses…

Water tankers were back on the streets of Galway last night after a burst pipe cut off the supply to thousands of homes and businesses in the city.

Galway City Council drafted in two water tankers on the east of the city after a pipe servicing a reservoir was damaged on Wednesday. Work was continuing last evening to repair the 21-inch mains pipe on the Headford Road which services the reservoir at Ballybane.

Houses in the Renmore, Tuam Road, Monivea Road, Doughiska, Parkmore, Ballybrit, Ballybane, Briarhill and Roscam areas of the city are affected.

A council spokesman said that they were hopeful the water supply would return to normal today.

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“Households which continue to have water supply are asked to conserve use. We would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused,” he said.

Water tankers were in place last night on Ballybane Road and Doughiska.

The disruption is the latest crisis to hit the public water supply in Galway. In 2007 up to 90,000 people in Galway city and surrounding areas went five months without being able to use water from the tap following an outbreak cryptosporidium.

Then in 2008 more than 5,000 had their supply affected after alarming levels of lead were discovered in the Claddagh, Shantalla, Bohermore and Old Mervue areas of the city.