Waterford residents have logged 260 formal complaints to Uisce Éireann since 2022. The information was obtained by a Freedom of Information request issued by The Munster Express. The yearly breakdown is as follows: 73 complaints in 2022; 40 complaints in 2023; 77 in 2024, and 70 in 2025.
As reported in recent months, some of the older streets in the City have been experiencing continuous sewage blockages. Speaking at the October Plenary meeting, Councillor Frank Quinlan, explained that residents in places like Dominics Place face an “extremely distressful” situation.
Cllr. Quinlan stated that pipes up to 100 years old can run through a person’s backyard and if these old pipes happen to collapse Uisce Éireann will “refuse point blank” to help.
“It was called to my attention recently how serious it can be,” stated Cllr. Quinlan. “I dealt with a few elderly people who are pensioner age and it happened, the pipe collapsed under this person’s house but it’s affecting nearly eight or nine houses along that row.
“These are all pensioners which have to pay for this and they don’t have the money to pay for it.”
With many of the sewage systems in the City being shared between multiple houses, occupants are powerless to maintain their own drains. Even if residents are responsible in how their system is used and maintained, their neighbours may not be, which can cause a blockage, or a pipe may collapse. These old pipes can also collapse under derelict houses, leaving an entire area affected with nobody to pay the bill.
The Freedom of Information request also asked for details of legal actions in which compensation, or a settlement, was paid to Waterford residents since 2019. This part of the request was declined as the information was subject to legal professional privilege.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
AARON KENT
