BY C.J. MCGINLEY
TO the passer by it is hard to believe there is no water for residents at picturesque Gartan near Churchill.
There are three lakes within walking distance of their houses but still over 65 local residents have to make do with sourcing water from their own wells because they have no mains supply.
So bad is the situation that during the summer some residents have no water at all and are forced to ferry water from the nearby Gartan lake in tankers or even buy bottles of water. Without adequate water for washing, cleaning and cooking residents' fury has boiled over and last night (Thursday) they were due to meet with local councillors to highlight their growing frustration.
Noelle Reid is the promoter of the local scheme and speaking to the Donegal News in Gartan on Tuesday she said the patience of people in the Gartan, Tirargus, Lossett and Kilmore areas had run out and was time for action.
"It's crazy in this day and age that people have to live like this without proper water supplies. One local well here is serving five houses- that's how tight things are. During the summer people have to go to the lake and ferry water to their houses in large tankers just to get by," she said.
For over a decade residents have been fighting for a group water scheme but without success.
"We first applied for the scheme as far back as 2000 that would take a connection from the Churchill water supply. There are over 65 houses that would take part in the scheme. We were ready to go but a month ago the council told us it was being put on hold because there was upgrading works to be done on the Churchill supply. We'll be demanding from local councillors that our work is prioritised as a matter of urgency," she added.
Dympna Friel, a local resident, said it was disgraceful that they had to make do without adequate water.
"In this day and age it's hard to believe people have to live like this. We shouldn't have to wait seven years to get water. People shouldn't be left with no option but to ferry water in tankers from Gartan lake just to wash, clean and cook," she said.
Another resident Eileen McLaughlin said: "All we want is the water. There are three lakes in the vicinity of our homes and Lough Salt is only a few miles away. There is a house that has mains water just a quarter of a mile away from one of the people who are asking for the group scheme."
Margaret Alcorn said locals would be demanding action from councillors and the executive engineers.
"We need a timescale for the work because we cannot continue like this. We want our scheme to proceed immediately. People can't continue relying on wells for their supply," she said.
The Acting Director of Water Services with Donegal County Council, Mr Peader McRory said unfortunately there was not sufficient water available in the area.
"What we're hoping to do is take water from the Churchill Scheme but the headworks needs to be substantially upgraded to deliver the quantity and quality of water to Gartan. The Churchill works is listed under the Rural Water Programme initiative and we intend to employ consultants to carry out designs as soon as possible," he said.
