Residents encouraged to park cars over water valves

A local water charges protest group is encouraging Knocknacarra residents to park their cars over stopcocks ahead of meter installations which are set to begin within days.

They have also set up a ‘text alert’ system to monitor and warn people that installers are in their area.

‘Right2WaterGalway’ has delivered flyers to estates around Knocknacarra highlighting the fact that Irish Water intends to begin installing meters this month.

The flyer encourages residents to speak to their neighbours who are opposed to the metering programme and “show peaceful resistance”.

It suggests homeowners could position themselves over the stopcock outside their property, or park a car over it.

“Tell the contractors you do not want a meter fitted. Show peaceful resistance. Even if a meter is installed, do not worry, simply refuse to pay the water charges. Hundreds of thousands of households are refusing to deal with Irish Water. We will defeat the privatisation of water by maintaining a boycott,” the flyer reads.

A fortnight ago, Irish Water informed city councillors it would roll out an installation programme for meters.

It advised that householders would receive “detailed information packs” about the process at least 14 days before metering commences, with a second information pack arriving two days before the actual installation.

For more on this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune