Irish Water hosted a community event on Friday last (March 24) to demonstrate the works that have taken place to remove the Kilconnell water supply from a 13-month boil water notice.
The solution was an innovative one that involved co-operation and input from the Arrabawn creamery.
Children from the local primary school were treated to some water experiments and a presentation from Irish Water at the Kilconnell Water Treatment Plant along with local elected reps and businesses on Friday last.
The Kilconnell Public Water Supply was placed on the boil water notice following extreme weather conditions which impacted the quality of water entering the source in November 2015. Following on from this Irish Water investigated a number of options to develop a secure and reliable source for the consumers and businesses in Kilconnell. Since the beginning of September Irish Water and Galway County Council have being supplying the Kilconnell Public Water Supply with water from a borehole on the Arrabawn creamery lands. All investigations have proven the source at the borehole is much more robust and less susceptible to change during weather events than the original source.
Speaking after Friday’s event Minister of State Seán Canney said: “I was delighted to have visited the Kilconnell Water Treatment Plant and to have viewed first-hand the works that were carried out there. The technology used is top of the range and hopefully the works will maintain good drinking water quality into the future for the people of Kilconnell. I would like to acknowledge the help of the Arrawbawn co-op in carrying out these essential works.
“The whole idea is that we create water supplies that are sustainable and safe into the future.”
Irish Water’s Regional Information Specialist Sean Corrigan added: “Irish Water and Galway County Council would like to thank the Arrabawn Co-op for their continued support as well as the local business and farming communities and the general public for their patience and co-operation throughout the duration of the works.
“Friday was a great opportunity to show the children, their teachers and the elected representatives around such a vital piece of infrastructure for their community that will serve them long into the future.”
The works undertaken on the Kilconnell water supply included borehole protection, the installation of a run to waste facility, improvement works on the disinfection system which includes the replacement of the ultraviolet system with a new duty and standby UV system that is capable of operating under more difficult circumstances. The works also included a review of the disinfection process and a review of alarms and controls.