A special meeting is being sought to discuss the potential strain that hundreds of new homes in Letterkenny will have on the local water supply.
Donegal County Council has been told that there is a ‘nervous’ feeling in relation to the 350 social houses to be built in flagship projects at Ballymacool and the High Road.
Councillor Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly says that Uisce Eireann must sit down with councillors to outline its long-term plans for water and sewerage infrastructure.
Speaking at this week’s meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford MD, Cllr Kelly said the meetings with the water authority are not frequent enough and that he’s frustrated about the lack of replies to questions raised.
“Letterkenny is the regional growth centre of Donegal,” Cllr Kelly said. “We have a lot of future development plans in housing but it’s imperative that Uisce Eireann is committed to meeting us and playing their part in relation to water and sewerage.”
Cllr Kelly said he got the impression from the council’s own housing staff that they were “somewhat nervous” in relation to Uisce Eireann’s delivery on infrastructure needed to serve the major housing projects.
Cllr Kelly said that the public is feeling the same.
“On the ground, we are pushing forward at Ballymacool and the public are somewhat nervous, particularly the people that are having water issues to date,” Cllr Kelly said.
“It’s vitally important we get Uisce Eireann around the table and we get a commitment in relation to the future development of our town.”
Seconding Cllr Kelly’s request for a meeting, Cllr Donal Coyle said that he expects a presentation from Uisce Eireann on its five-year plan for Letterkenny.
“I don’t know how many meetings I have raised the issue of the reservoir in Rahan,” Cllr Coyle said. “I still haven’t got an answer. The capacity of that reservoir isn’t enough to serve the community there, never mind adding 170 houses in Ballymacool to it.”
