Northern Ireland's water crisis

IceBus · 29 Dec 2010 at 12:54

So it's anyone else currently enjoying a lack of running water?

It's been around 72hrs for us now, which isn't half as bad as the poor folks who've been without any water for 8 days.

Managed to scare up a few water containers and will go and grab some water today.

I've got to say, I'm pretty amazed at how lacklustre Northern Ireland Water's response to this whole thing has been - completely useless predictions of how long the water will take to come back on, with no clear plan to deal with the leaks and no specific information about certain areas.

I've got to say, having just come back from Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire, people's comparisons of this being third world conditions are somewhat overblown but I'm still pretty unimpressed by the complete lack of preparation for what was obviously going to be a serious situation once the snow thawed.

Cosimo · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:01

This got a mention on the news last night but didn't sound as serious as this:

About 40,000 people across Northern Ireland are struggling to cope without water supplies.

Northern Ireland Water has warned that the disruption could continue for several more days.

Ministers and officials are meeting to take stock of widespread disruption caused by burst pipes.

Almost 80 towns and villages across NI have been affected. Some people have been without water for eight days.

Source

We'll soon have the air force dropping pallets of mineral water all over the place.

iamdjdz · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:03

We had no water for a week there because of frozen pipes, but when it thawed on Monday the water was reconnected, pipes fixed and we were sweet.

But when we went to Lisburn yesterday most of the people we know have had their water turned off to fix pipes etc (not at their homes) and apparantly to give the reservoirs time to re-fill?

Seems a bit unprepared of the water service imo. Especially in some areas and not others.

CliffyBiro · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:04

Ours was only off for a few hours yesterday. Most of the houses below us haven't had any water for the last few days.

lukefinch · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:06

Ours went off about 2 hours ago. There's a mad panic at the shop across the road from my house. They've already sold out of bottled water!

It's quite funny

Nymins · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:07

Our water is running slow. It still works thankfully, but the pressure isn't there.

doofer · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:08

It could be a lot worse, imagine it happening in a place where people use water for bathing and sewerage too, they'd really be suffering now, you NI Micks only use water for your pet Goldfish, you drink only Guiness, use your gardens as toilets and only bathe if the Pope's visiting, hell I bet it's like a normal day there!

JBuk · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:09

and that's the posh areas

ringo747 · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:14

Ours was off for most of yesterday. It really is a struggle to cope without it. We do take so much for granted.

rypt · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:18

Why are pipes in NI bursting, while the mainland UK is fine?

IceBus · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:19

rypt said:
Why are pipes in NI bursting, while the mainland UK is fine?

Years of underinvestment, and a 'government' that couldn't find it's arse with a map and compass.

What I love best is NI Water's website with a list of towns that have been affected, which basically just seems to be an alphabetical list of major towns in NI. We've got nothing at all in South Belfast.

Pestilence · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:26

doofer said:
It could be a lot worse, imagine it happening in a place where people use water for bathing and sewerage too, they'd really be suffering now, you NI Micks only use water for your pet Goldfish, you drink only Guiness, use your gardens as toilets and only bathe if the Pope's visiting, hell I bet it's like a normal day there!

Sarcastic, but still...Political Awareness Fail.

Azza · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:28

Got potatoes?

rypt · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:29

Azza said:
Got potatoes?

I tried to send some over, but was told they have no water to boil them :confused:

Biohazard · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:37

Ah union dividend eh?

Raumarik · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:40

rypt said:
Why are pipes in NI bursting, while the mainland UK is fine?

UK has been replacing mains water pipes for years with the newer plastic pipes which are more resistant to cold and movement. Costs a lot of money though.

manic_man · 29 Dec 2010 at 13:51

Halfmad said:
UK has been replacing mains water pipes for years with the newer plastic pipes which are more resistant to cold and movement. Costs a lot of money though.

I can confirm this seeing as effectively the whole of Manchester has been systematically dug up over the past 12 or so months so United Utilities can replace all of the Victorian pipework with plastic stuff. It's been a royal pain, almost doubling the time it takes to get anywhere in the city, but hey if it means I get water when it gets a little cold seems like it might have been worth it!

Really can't imagine how a water authority can have been *so* under-prepared. I mean it hasn't even been THAT cold in world terms. Cold for this part of the globe sure, but certainly no worse than last year from what I remember, and they must have had some serious problems then too given it was the same pipework... yet they have had 12 months to sort that and when it happens again they didn't see it coming? Hmmm...

Orcish-Horde · 29 Dec 2010 at 14:17

No loss of water supply here as of yet.

Antar Bolaeisk · 29 Dec 2010 at 14:21

Just think, the last few weeks you were probably complaining about all the snow surrounding you

petemyster · 29 Dec 2010 at 14:22

Orcish-Horde said:
No loss of water supply here as of yet.

Same here, guess I can count myself lucky