40,000 hit by Northern Ireland water crisis

If your mains are freezing then they were not burried deep enough. They need to be below the winter freeze line. Of course, old mains burst a lot easier than new ones -- even here in Canada where they are deep.

Our water rates are thru the roof and headed higher still because they have pay for all of that work needed to replace the old mains. I take it that is part of N Ireland's problem -- who's going to pay for all the repairs?

reply to post by wayno


Ah, thing is, in the UK we don't really have a "winter freeze line". The past few winters have been massive exceptions to the norm, although they may well become the norm in the future.

The UK as a whole is going to have to re-evaluate how it spends money in preperation for extreme weather. It isn't something we are used to.

EDIT: The water company will foot the bill...No dividend this year!

reply to post by stumason


I hope all those nay-sayers out there who like to claim that all these weather changes are just normal will now shut up. I do believe that it is changing enough that major infrastructure will have to be overhauled to accomodate it.

Good luck to the Irish and the rest of you in that area of the world. You are looking much worse off than we in my neck of the Canadian south.

reply to post by wayno


Im just back from my humanitarian run. I delivered the necessities to the dehydrated folk, I did my best but i think we're going to need some UN forces to aid with the relief effort. Scotland has joined the effort by promising 160,00 litres of fresh water. Breaking news flashed up on my screen, our very own Marty Mc Guiness has issued a statement informing us of a 6" pipe having burst which will cause the resevoir to drain in the coming days. My message to you marty, PLUG THE F***ING PIPE, its not the BP oil spill were dealing with here. Iv just been on the BBC Webpage thats reporting this disaster & im astunded the way people are reacting. This is only my opinion of course, people in those area's eaither dont know that less than a mile away we have fresh running water, iv just had a bath and am now sipping on a cup of coffee. I think the wives & women are all in panic mode & have themselves went out cueing for water or sent the poor husbands out to fetch a peel of water. I experienced this a few days ago when my other half went into the same drama mode, she sent for 10 ltr bottles, and in one day how much did we use, less than a litre. Its a ripple effect taking place, people are panicking for no reason, our resevoirs will not run out, if this is still being reported tomorrow i will personnally drive to the resevoir & take some photos.

reply to post by wayno


Sorry wayno, i was meant to be replying to you valid point regards the water charges. I have to agree with you, I imagine this is going to set the ball rolling towards water charges, people here have been trying to push it through for years, which has been met by tuff resistance from us the people. They tried introducing it a few years back & in a giant swoop, we the people declared were wer'nt going to pay the bills. This has now as you say, set the ball rolling towards that agenda but I think once again they will be told where they can stick their charges, I for one will never pay a seperate charge for water when its already included in our rates bills