Fine Gael Local Area Representative has this week criticised Irish Water, citing the installation and notice process being given in Beaumont and Whitehall as being “haphazard” and “not observing the standards set down by Irish Water centrally”.
Mr. Rock said: “An installation notice arrived at my own house late on Sunday evening, after 6pm, informing me that installation on our road will be starting on Monday morning. It’s not good enough, and completely flies in the face of the process set out by Irish Water (http://www.water.ie/billing-and-metering/metering-explained/) which promised an information pack 2 weeks in advance, and also says that we will be notified in writing at least two days before the installation which – again – wasn’t the case here. They are already failing to observe their own standards”.
Mr. Rock said: “The simple fact is, every week now for the last month, I am meeting residents on road after road and estate after estate who are saying ‘Noel, I got this letter yesterday, and this is about to start today, and it’s the first I’ve heard of it’. There are supposed to be two letters issued, which are supposed to arrive about two weeks before installation and then, again, a few days beforehand, out of courtesy. However, this is not happening, and the one day before letter is becoming an increasingly common complaint, while some are even saying they haven’t received anything”.
Mr. Rock continued: “While the workmanship itself is, by and large, of a decent standard, I’m also concerned about the clean-up after they leave the area, with a lot of dirt and dust being left in most areas. Many residents have raised this as a sore point and, after looking at a few sites, I’d have to agree with them.
Mr. Rock added: “Whatever you might think about water meters, and I know a lot of people don’t agree with them, I think we need to work to minimise the pain of installing these things by observing the reasonable standards set down by Irish Water locally. I have corresponded with Irish Water and the Minister for the Environment on this issue, and have been assured that the relevant contractor will be contacted in relation to this”.