Water supply restored

Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) said it received nearly 14,000 calls over the period Sunday 27th December 2009 - Sunday 3rd January 2010.

At the peak of the incident, over 200 staff worked day and night to repair over 50 burst watermains, isolate private bursts, deliver over 60,000 litres of bottled water to customers and tanker water to service reservoirs.

The company says that whilst water supply is now back at full flow there is no room for complacency.

A spokesperson explained: “With the cold weather set to continue, followed by thawing, the threat of burst pipes remains.

NI Water would like to remind members of the public follow the advice below in a bid to locate and isolate bursts on private and public land and to protect their homes from frozen pipes.

“We would like to reassure the public that while the immediate water supply problems in the North and West have been addressed, our teams of staff will continue to work hard in locating and repairing burst pipes as the cold weather continues.

“NI Water would like to thank customers for their patience and support while we worked to resolve this matter.”

The local water firm is asking all customers and keyholders to check their properties, including vacant properties, for leaks and is urging all farmers to check the drinking troughs on their land for bursts.

Customers are also asked not to run their taps unnecessarily in an effort to prevent freezing as this can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water per day per customer.

Tips for avoiding frozen pipes include: Insulate water tanks and pipes in unheated areas like lofts, roof spaces, garages and outbuildings;

Fix dripping taps – a gentle trickle of water can freeze and completely block the pipe; Keep your boiler well serviced to ensure your house is heated; Open the trap door into the roof space to allow some of the warm air to circulate in the roof space; If you are away from home you could leave a key with a neighbour, friend or family member who can check the house regularly for frozen pipes and to ensure there is adequate heat; Know where your stop valve is in the case of an emergency - it is normally situated under the kitchen sink; Write down the name and contact details of a SNIPEF (Scotland & Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation) registered plumber in case a pipe does burst.