Council To Ask That Some Estate Residents Be Exempt From Water Charges

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KERRY County Council is to write to Irish Water to ask that residents of Tralee estates, proven to have dangerous levels of lead in their water supply, be exempt from water charges until the situation has been resolved.

The Tralee Municipal District meeting of Kerry County Council heard on Monday morning, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the HSE are advising people in St Brendan’s Park, in cases where it is found that their supply has high levels of lead, not to drink the water.

Sinn Fein Cllr Toireasa Ferris said four homes tested recently in the estate were found to have lead levels above the acceptable level of 10 micrograms per litre.

One home was found to have 155 micrograms per litre, another 90, one in the 80s and another 15 micrograms per litre.

Senior Executive Engineer at Water Services at Kerry County Council, Colm Mangan, told the meeting that the contract has been signed to replace pipes in St Brendan’s Park but the work could take “up to this time next year”.

He said the EPA and the HSE has issued a pamphlet advising people with excessive levels of lead in their water supply to seek an alternative source of drinking water. Residents who produce evidence to the Council that their water contains high levels of lead are being sent the pamphlet from the EPA and HSE.

The information in the pamphlet can be viewed by clicking here

It was decided at the meeting that Kerry County Council is to write to Irish Water asking that any domestic supply with excessive levels of lead should be exempted from water charges.

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