Residents in the Queen Street flats say they’ve been forced to buy bottled water to deal with the lack of access to clean water.
A sewage smell and discoloured water coming from taps at a north inner city flat complex has led to tenants being forced to buy litres of bottled water.
The complex has had a range of other problems in the past since it’s redevelopment 21 years ago.
Amy Lismore, who lives in the Marmion Court flats near Queen Street., tells us they can’t even wash up with with the water:
“This has been an issue for so long, like a good long time. “In certain flats, the water is yellow or brown, and the smell of sewage is awful”
“You’re actually even afraid to brush your teeth. Even when you turn your tap on to wash your delph, the smell is over to you straight away. It’s awful,” she added.
She says since the issue has arose at the Queen Street complex, they’ve been forced to spend a fortune on bottled water.
“Everybody in the flat complex has been forced to go over and buy bottled water, because the water is not safe to us… We’re constantly buying bottles of water.
Local TD Gary Gannon met with residents who voiced their concerns last week – and says it’s not good enough.
“Last week, the residents group have formed a committee, and they invited a number of public representatives to their first meeting as a way of just letting them know to kind of the multitude of the issues that was happening here.”
Top of the list was the lack of clean or sanitary water, water to drink, water to wash their clothes with. And I mean, for me, that’s something that we can’t accept in a modern Republic… This is the heart of Dublin, and residents can’t drink their water or wash their clothes.”
Gannon adds that the meeting was also cut short by residents needing to get water before their local shop closed.
“It’s a human right to have access to running water, and my heart dropped last week to hear the residents talking about that and to see residents having to finish a meeting by nine o’clock so they could go to the shop to buy bottled water.”
He also says he’s urged those living at Marmion Court to take further action if necessary.
“I’m unwilling to accept that. I’ve instructed residents to start seeking legal advice, and if a case needs to be taken against Dublin City Council, then so be it. “
In recent years, the flats have also suffered from flooding, issues with mould, and an electrical fire.
In 2019, some residents were forced to leave their flats for a number of weeks following the fire, which also briefly left all four blocks without power.
Dublin City Council has been contacted for comment.
