Water meters for Knocknacarra ‘within weeks’

The installation of water meters is to begin in Galway City in the coming weeks, with the greater Knocknacarra area chosen as the first location.

Householders will 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.

Irish Water informed councillors that the metering programme will be rolled out in the city “in the coming weeks”.

City Sinn Féin councillor Mairéad Farrell said she hopes the company does not deliberately “catch people on the hop”, as she accused them of in the county.

“In the communications I have received from Irish Water, they state that metering will begin in the Knocknacarra area within the next few weeks and that houses will be sent ‘detailed information packs on Irish Water and all aspects of the metering programme at least 14 days before metering commences in their area.  In addition, a second information pack will be issued to all homes due to receive meters at least two days in advance of metering taking place’.

“From the anecdotal evidence I am getting in Galway County, Irish Water have obviously sprung the installations on communities at the last minute in an effort to catch people on the hop who may refuse to allow a water meter be installed on their property. This is unacceptable and I sincerely hope that it does not happen in the city,” she said.