Harris raises North Wicklow water Supply Crisis in Dáil

Wicklow Fine Gael TD, Simon Harris, has this afternoon (Wednesday) secured the opportunity to raise in the Dail the on-going crisis with the water supply in many houses in North Wicklow with the Minister for the Environment.

‘Whilst I am well aware that the responsibility for water supply rests with local authorities due to the serious disruption to such supply in Kilpedder, Delgany, Kilmacanogue, Glen of the Downs & Enniskerry, I wanted to raise this directly with the Minister for the Environment and ask that his department intervene to ensure that a full sense of urgency is applied by the local authorities to find a solution as quickly as possible.

‘This issue is the responsibility of Dublin City Council as the water is supplied from their Vartry Reservoir. Due to algal problems at Vartry, the capacity and output has been reduced by 50%. This has caused the current difficulties. The minister has now undertaken to have his department officials liaise with Dublin City Council and Wicklow County Council to ensure that absolutely everything possible is being done to resolve this matter. In addition to this he has also assured me that DCC now have crews working on the problem on a full-time basis with a view to increasing output as quickly as possible.

‘This situation is extremely upsetting for many residents and I want to assure them that I will be continuing to pursue this matter on a daily basis with the local authority and the departmentI am also working very closely with local Councillors to offer any and all assistance and I know that they are doing everything they can in relation to this matter.’ concluded Deputy Harris