A tearful Raphoe mother-of-three has said she is at the ‘end of my tether’ over the disgusting water that is flowing in her home.
Iron and manganese levels in the water have been described by the Environmental Health Department as ‘colossal’.
Picture above: An image of the woman’s sink, filled with off-coloured water.
The iron levels are as high as 1,110 – soaring above the 200 norm. An acceptable level of manganese is set at 50, whereas this home’s is at a staggering 1,500.
“I was crying on the phone to Irish Water, but they’re not doing anything to help at all,” the mother to three kids under 10 said.
“I am at the end of my tether here.
“Any time we call Irish Water, all they do is start a new complaint for us. It’s the same story over and over again.
“They tell us to run the water for 15 minutes at a time, but it does no good at all.”
The problem has been raised as far back as 2015, but there seems no sign of a solution.
Household appliances have been ruined and children’s clothes have had to be thrown in the bin. The situation has got so bad the woman is having to take their washing to other family members.
She said: “Our washing machine and dishwasher are destroyed and we’re going through kettles like mad.
Washing stained due to the poor water quality
“The showers and the toilets are affected too and even the water tanks upstairs are wrecked.
“I have to take the washing to my mum’s and to my sister’s now.
“You check out what the water is like and it might be okay so you put on a washing but by the time you’re finished the clothes come out all stained.
“They’re bright orange. We have had to throw out so many of the weans’ clothes. They just had to go to the bin.”
The tray of the woman’s washing machine
The woman has praised local County Councillor Liam Doherty and the Council’s staff.
She said: “If it wasn’t for Liam, we wouldn’t be this far down the road – it could be even worse. He has been very good.
“And credit where it’s due: the guy who has come out from Donegal County Council has been excellent. He’s even come out some Friday nights, Saturday and Sundays.”
Previously, Irish Water advised locals that they were going to replace the pipes between Raphoe and Convoy and proposed that work start in June – but there has been no sign of any works commencing.
The woman said: “We’re no further forward with Irish Water than we were two years ago and the people on the phones there are no help at all.”
A glass of water from the kitchen tap