Galway family flooded by water workers

A County Galway family fears being left ‘high and dry’ – after authorities accidentally flooded their home with water while flushing the mains.

Paul Egan claims his rented home in Oughterard was flooded last week when Galway County Council workers, acting on behalf of Irish Water, were at work outside.

Gallons of water from the mains gushed down the street and into his home causing damage on Tuesday afternoon.

Mr Egan’s girlfriend, Liberty Maddick, and his two-year-old daughter, were in their home at Salmon Leap Cottage, Clareville, in the North Connemara town when water gushed in under the door.

“I was in town and she rang me to say water was flooding in our door. My girlfriend went outside and saw a County Council worker standing on the road outside our house. She shouted at him to turn off the water. He asked ‘oh, is it coming in the house?’ And she said ‘yes, please turn it off’.

“My girlfriend ran back inside to get our daughter. There was two to three inches of water inside. And when she came back outside to get an explanation, the Council workers had gone,” he said.

The whole incident took place in about five minutes, and left their home flooded.

Ms Maddick tweeted video footage of the aftermath, which clearly shows their kitchen floor covered in water.

Mr Egan (29) is a part-time student in NUIG and fears being left stung for the bill for the damage caused.

As well as water damage to furniture, skirting boards and parts of the kitchen, Mr Egan says that personal belongings – including a laptop and rug – valued at about €500 were also damaged.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.