Lough Owel 'doesn’t make sense' as water source for Moate area

By Rebekah O'Reilly

A local councillor has said alternative water sources are needed for Moate and Ballymore, as Lough Owel is at a dangerously low level.

Labour councillor Johnny Penrose raised the issue at the most recent meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, saying it had been ongoing for over two decades and a solution must be found urgently.

The discussion came shortly before Uisce Éireann last week announced a seven-week extension of the Water Conservation Order (commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban) for the Mullingar Regional Public Water Supply, which serves much of South Westmeath.

In a motion at the Municipal District meeting, Cllr Penrose asked the council to "write to Irish Water in relation to the current status of this plan to bring water from the Shannon to the Midlands."

Speaking at the meeting, he added: "Lough Owel supplies half of Westmeath - there has to be an alternative water supply. A council 22 years ago was talking about this, and nothing has been done since then.

"The water levels are so low in Lough Owel that you can walk meters further than you could before."

He received the support of his fellow councillors, including Cllr Vinny McCormack, Mayor of Athlone Moate Municipal District who said the issue wasn't being taken seriously.

"Lough Owel supplies areas as far as Moate and Ballymore, it doesn't make sense that it's sourced from Lough Owel when the Shannon is right here. I still don't get the impression that it's being taken seriously. The ready made answer is on our doorstep."

Cllr Tom Farrell added that one solution would be to connect the Ballynacargy supply to the Athlone water supply.

"If they were joined together, it would save a whole lot of bother," he said. "Lough Owel is a spring lake, it should have never been used to source such a large area year-round. It is serious," he said, adding that local TDs and Ministers should be encouraged to address the issue.

Cllr John Gibbons and the Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Liam McDaniel, both observed the loss of water through deteriorating infrastructure and pipe work as a contributing factor to the declining lake levels.

"It's not that the lake is going down, it's being lost through the pipelines which need repair," said Cllr McDaniel. "Some of the pipes have been there for over 200 years - the whole infrastructure needs to be upgraded.”

The council executive agreed that the issue should be brought before a full meeting of Westmeath County Council for further discussion.

Meanwhile, on June 12, Uisce Éireann's Water Conservation Order for the Mullingar Regional Public Water Supply, which serves much of South Westmeath, was extended until Monday, August 4.

Areas in South Westmeath affected include parts of Moate, Ballymore, Moyvoughly, Moyvore, Kilbeggan and Horseleap.

The full list of areas impacted is: Mullingar Town and surrounding areas, Ballynacarrigy, Moyvore, Ballymore, Moate, Moyvoughly, Streete, Rathowen, Lismacaffrey, Crookedwood, Multyfarnham, Bunbrosna, Rathconrath, Killucan, Raharney, Coralstown, Kinnegad, Milltownpass, Tyrrellspass, Dalystown, Kilbeggan, Ballinagore, Gaybrook, Dysart, Horseleap and Castletown Geoghegan.