CITY FAMILIES STRUGGLE TO PAY COST OF REPLACING LEAD PIPES

Date Published: 11-Dec-2008

Many families in the city affected by the lead in the water crisis, are struggling to meet the cost of connecting the safe water supply to their homes.As it stands, it's the responsibility of the Department of the Environment and the City Council to replace the lead network to the boundary of a private property.However it's the homeowners responsibility to take this water supply from there into their homes.Over three and a half thousand people in Mervue, Shantalla, Salthill and the Claddagh were affected by the lead crisis.According to Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, many families are struggling to pay the considerable cost involved in changing the water pipes in their homes.She says that so far, there's been no Government commitment to funding for replacing the water pipes in the housesSenator Healy Eames says her next move is to speak with Galway City Council and ask them to submit an application for funding from the Minister for Housing