Water Pipes Freeze Then Burst in Northern Ireland: Tens of Thousands Left Without Water
December 29th, 2010Via: Washington Post:
Frustration and fears of disease mounted in Northern Ireland Wednesday as tens of thousands of people were left without water after much of the supply drained away through broken pipes following a deep freeze and a sudden thaw.
In many towns and cities water supplies were cut off as residents turned to emergency water tankers and bottled water for their cooking, cleaning and drinking needs.
Some families have not had fresh running water for eight days, with officials predicting it will take several more days to restore normal service. Reservoir levels have dropped dangerously low, straining the entire system.
“This may go on for another short period but we are doing our best to keep it as short as possible to get those reservoir levels up and provide water to our customers,” said Liam Mulholland, of Northern Ireland Water.
He said the shortage had been aggravated by the many vacant properties that have experienced burst pipes, allowing water to drain away until technicians can trace and repair the problem.
There was also substantial flooding, with some floodwaters contaminated by sewage, raising public health concerns.
