TWO public water refilling stations which were installed in Clonakilty in 2019 as part of a pilot scheme to help the town become more sustainable, have not been turned back on since the pandemic.
The water stations at Asna Square and Kennedy Park were turned off during the pandemic due to health and safety concerns.
Speaking to The Southern Star, Cllr Paul Hayes said that as far as he knew they were working before Covid.
‘The local Tidy Towns group has also been asking about these and a Council official told me that they thought they would be able to tap into the public water system that is there already.
‘However, Uisce Éireann said that the Council would have to apply for a tapping licence,’ said Cllr Hayes (Ind).
‘This was all about encouraging people to be sustainable and getting them to refill their water bottles, so it’s a pity neither is operating, especially with the busy tourism season ahead and I know other towns were also looking to trial these refilling stations.’
However, a spokesperson for Uisce Éireann told The Southern Star that the two water refilling stations are not their property.
‘The water connection is already there so no new application to Uisce Éireann is required. They can be turned back on by whoever installed them.’
Cllr Hayes also called for the two refilling stations to be branded better and clearer as there is nothing on them to indicate what exactly they are.
‘There is council imagery on it but it doesn’t say that it is a water refill station and the public may not know what they are.’
The water refilling stations were introduced in 2019 as part of a pilot scheme, which was to last six to 12 months.
If it proved successful, it was then to be rolled out across other West Cork towns.
