COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN/PALMERSTOWN/FONTHILL AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

MOTION NO. 9

MOTION: Councillor L. O'Toole

Further to the response to my Irish Water Motion last month in particular the line below:

“Install a softening unit If you find hard water is a problem in your home you can install a domestic softening unit. Irish Water cannot recommend any particular unit or guarantee its effectiveness. It is best to talk to your local plumber for advice in this area.” 

This Area Committee requests that the Chief Executive confirm if this response is directly from IW website advising the public to “talk to the local plumber”. If IW are advising the public to install a domestic softening unit, while at same time not recommending or guaranteeing any, this committee therefore writes to IW to request an explanation as to why they are recommending a domestic softening unit without recommending ‘local plumbers’ or advising which softening unit to install.

 

REPORT:

The responses to the motions last month regarding water supply to Lucan were provided by Irish Water, and Irish Water's responses were based on information provided on their website www.water.ie . The line quoted is a direct quote from Irish Water's website.  On the same webpage under the section titled further information on water hardness, Irish Water have a link to the World Health Organization document on Hardness in Drinking Water which has a section on household water treatment.

Members are reminded that Irish Water have established a Local Representative Service Desk. This Service Desk can be contacted at localrepsupport@water.ie or at 1890 178 178. Irish Water also arrange Councillor clinics. These take place quarterly and the last clinic took place in SDCC on 9th September 2019 with the next expected to be arranged for December. These clinics take place in County Hall and Irish Water inform that all members are invited. The issue of hard water supply to Lucan/Palmerstown area has been raised previously at these clinics, and members can raise this issue again, or any other issue regarding Irish Water, at the next or any future Councillor clinics.