Mud flows from Newport taps

Mud flows from Newport taps following maintenance works


Anton McNulty

A NEWPORT woman’s bathroom was left spattered with mud which ‘exploded’ out of the sink taps, while clothes put through the washing machine were badly stained, after mud got into the water system while Mayo County Council was carrying out work in the area.
The incident occurred nearly two weeks ago when the water was cut off in order for work to be carried out on the water mains near the new health centre in Newport. However, when the work was completed and the water turned on, it resulted in mud coming from the taps of a house in the town.
The woman, who did not wish to be named, described as ‘pure bog’  the substance which came out of the taps when the water came back on, and explained that before the incident occurred she could hear the pressure building up in the pipes. She said they were never informed that the water would be turned off and if they were she said they could have taken precautions.
“For this to happen is just unheard of,” she told The Mayo News. “When the water was turned on there was one hell of a racket from the taps and what came out was pure bog. We were not advised that the water was being turned off but if we were, we could have turned it off at the mains outside our house to make sure it did not come into the house. The Council could have done their work, flushed out the system and then let us know when to turn on the water,” she explained.
While her bathroom was left dirty, she explained that the main problem is the fact that the mud and dirt got into the washing machine and the water cylinder. She said the first wash following the incident resulted in towels and clothes being stained yellow because of the mud in the water.
“The bathroom is easy to clean up, the main concern is the problem it would cause getting into the machines. The clothes from my first wash after this were pure yellow and I can’t even get the stains out. That is only one machine, it would have got into every machine; shower heads, cylinders, water tanks the lot. It is just ridiculous that this was allowed to happen without advising people.”
Since the incident the Council has apologised for what occurred and said the householders should have been notified about the works. Local councillor Frank Chambers said he felt proper practice had not been put in place when the work was being undertaken and said he would be bringing the matter up at the next meeting of the Westport Electoral Area Committee.