€2 million investment but residents on Mayo water scheme still have brown water in taps

A community in east Mayo cannot drink the water in their taps - that's despite a near €2 million investment.

The plight of consumers on the Johnstown Levalleyroe Group Water Scheme was highlighted by Councillor Alma Gallagher at this month's Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District meeting.

They have brown water running through their taps.

She wants a report from Uisce Éireann in light of €1.3m being spent upgrading the network, and an additional €517,000 connection fee being paid by Mayo County Council last December, and still no resolution from the water company to connect the scheme to the main public water supply.

Councillor Gallagher tabled a motion on the issue 'out of frustration'.

Back in 2017 a boil water notice issued when the source was deemed compromised, she explained.

The network was upgraded and they have been lobbying for a connection.

That offer came from Uisce Éireann and the fee was paid.

However, the landscape then changed as there was a 'design issue'.

It was unacceptable, said Councillor Gallagher, that residents still have no consumable water.

She wanted an invitation to go out to Uisce Éireann to attend a meeting so they could get answers, saying there was no accountability.

All issues should have been ironed out before the connection fee issued and was paid, with the scheme now left in limbo, she said.