Concerns raised over use of caustic soda to treat Cork drinking water amidst ongoing quality complaints
Sodium hydroxide is part of "the same water treatment process used all over the world," Irish Water say.
Concerns at ongoing water discolouration in areas of the Northside, a “toxic taste” in tap water on the Southside, and the use of sodium hydroxide, or caustic soda, as a PH treatment at the Lee Road water treatment facility that provides over 70% of the Cork city’s water supply were all heard at a council meeting Monday evening.
Ongoing reports of water discolouration have been raised repeatedly at council meetings since summer 2022.
Councillor Ted Tynan told Monday’s council meeting that it was his belief that the use of caustic soda to balance PH at the Lee Road water facility had resulted in old pipes citywide being “stripped of sediment.”
He said Irish Water had treated six questions he had put to them with “Utter contempt. The council must stand up to Irish Water and demand that they answer the questions put to them.”
Cllr Tynan has been in receipt of a letter from Irish Water stating that the drinking water was of good quality, Lord Mayor Cllr Deirdre Forde interjected.
“The use of caustic soda was admitted to,” Cllr Dan Boyle, Chair of the council’s Environment, Water and Amenity Committee, who have met with Irish Water, told the meeting. He said he wanted to see “further engagement and a deeper engagement” from Irish Water into the future.
He said it was “quite difficult to get an initial meeting with Irish Water, but I have sensed a willingness for ongoing engagement.”
“Our drinking water network infrastructure is not fit for purpose. The remaining network is 70% iron-based and most of the discolouration is coming from flakings from inside the pipes.”
Several councillors highlighted that constituents on both the south and north sides of the city have been complaining of poor water quality as well as of Irish Water’s out-of-hours availability to handle complaints.
Cllr Mick Finn said he experienced a “toxic taste” in his own drinking water supply during the summer and that he had received many complaints about discoloured water.
“I’m getting calls, videos, pictures,” Cllr John Maher told the meeting. He said constituents who contacted him found Irish Water only responded within business hours.
“Our calls are coming on the weekend and after five,” he said. “We’re asking the most vulnerable to take a chance with their drinking water. There are elderly people, people making bottles for babies. And then you’re asking some people to go out and buy bottled water in the middle of a cost of living crisis.”
“Irish Water, in my experience, are not taking this seriously. We’re not delivering the service of water. We need to see the figures that show us that the water is safe to drink and use, so we can just stand over it.”
The baby’s bathwater
A resident of the Cathedral Road area sent the above photo of their baby’s bathwater to Tripe + Drisheen said the situation has been ongoing since August.
They said it was “exhausting” and that they felt “powerless” in their contact with Irish Water, who gave conflicting advice: both that the water had been tested and was safe to drink, and simultaneously advising to never drink discoloured water.
€40 million upgrade to waterworks
A recently completed €40 million investment in the Lee Road facility, which has the river as its water source, has been touted by Irish Water as the solution to ongoing water issues, with no major upgrades to Cork city drinking water since the 1950s.
However, Cllr Mick Nugget said it was a “pretty serious issue” that Irish Water were yet to resolve their issues despite the new facility being up and running. “There was a concession in terms of the new plant, and teething issues, he said. “Irish Water haven’t got to grips with it yet.”
The Lee Road Waterworks has been on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Remedial Action List since 2008 and Irish Water have said that the new treatment facility will allow them to rectify this.
Irish Water reported 19 breaches of emission limit values for nitrogen in 2021, at times registering over double the maximum limit of 10mg/L, according to their annual EPA report.
The report also details that the water treatment plant was the source of “a number of odour complaints” in 2020 and early 2021, which may have been caused by the disturbances of construction.
Irish Water say “safe to drink”
“We are working towards having Cork City removed from the EPA’s RAL in the coming months,” Irish Water’s press officer told Tripe + Drisheen in an email.
“Irish Water is continuing to investigate intermittent customer complaints regarding some discolouration of water. The issue of discolouration is a common one and can occur across the country for a number of reasons such as old infrastructure, bursts, network improvement works etc.”
“We have carried out extensive testing and sampling of water supplies throughout Cork city. The results of this testing have been shared with the EPA and the HSE and we can confirm that the water is safe to drink.”
However in the same email, he said anyone whose tap water was discoloured should run the kitchen tap until it returns to a clear colour. “Do not drink discoloured water,” the email concluded.
In response to Tripe + Drisheen’s queries about the use of sodium hydroxide at the Lee Road water treatment facility, Irish Water’s only response was that “the water treatment process used by Irish Water is the same used throughout the world.”
READERS: What are you experiences of water quality in Cork city and county? Drop us a line by email to help us keep covering this story.
Keep at it, Tripe and Drisheen ! Good, pure drinking water is vital to our existence. If caustic soda strips the sediment from inside the pipes, what on earth is it doing to our insides ?!
Thanks Ellie ! Serious issue