Burnfoot couple protest repeated water outages at rebuilt home

A couple from Burnfoot say they have reached their “last nerve” after experiencing at least 30 water outages at their newly rebuilt house over the past 12‑18 months.

Sarah and Brendan Harrigan, who have lived in Donegal for 12‑13 years, claim the water supply has been interrupted far more often since they moved into the new property, compared with only two occasions in Sarah’s 30 years living north of the border.

Uisce Éireann has told the family that the pumps serving the 165 houses on Brae Road are “not fit for purpose” and that replacement will take three to five months. The Harrigans say outages have sometimes lasted six to seven days, forcing them to purchase drinking water amid a cost‑of‑living crisis.

Council response

Local councillor Joy Beard said the most recent outage was caused by an accidentally broken pipe and that repairs are now complete, with water expected to return within hours. She has urged Uisce Éireann to accelerate the installation of a new pump and to provide a water tanker for Burnfoot until the work is finished.

Inishowen councillors Jack Murray and Fionán Bradley have also raised the issue with the water utility. Uisce Éireann has been contacted for comment.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: AS Photography / Pexels.