Irish Water 'step up' at Laois trainside housing estate
Irish Water has been praised for "stepping up to the mark" in taking over pipes in a long built Laois housing estate.
Railway Mews in Portarlington with some 100 houses was built over a dozen years ago, next to the commuter town's busy train station.
While it was taken in charge for roads and streetlights by Laois County Council some five years ago, a "strange situation" remained where the water services for residents was left in the hands of the developer.
Cllr Aidan Mullins welcomed progress at last, at the March meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.
His motion asking for an update on when Railway Mews would be taken in charge by Irish Water, got the best answer possible.
"It is now in the charge of Uisce Éireann," Laois County Council replied.
The water services department added that last August, Irish Water confirmed to council planners that "all water pipes and foul/combined sewers within the public area" were accepted by it.
"That's good news. It was one of those strange situations where the council had taken it in charge but Irish Water hadn't. There were difficulties with the pipes and bad connections. I am delighted to see it is taken in charge, but this is news to me. I'd have thought I'd be notified," Cllr Mullins said.
Cllr Ben Brennan had seconded the motion.
"It's great to see Irish Water stepping up to the mark," he said.