‘Crucial' back-up generator confirmed for Galway water plant following Storm Éowyn chaos
Following the extreme weather event, Uisce Éireann identified a number of areas for back-up generators to be installed. However, Ballinasloe was not on that list.
Six months later, after several appeals and Galway County Council meetings, Uisce Éireann has this week confirmed that back-up power generator will be installed at Ballinasloe Water Treatment Plant by the end of 2025.
Ballinasloe Councillor Alan Harney told the Irish Independent the announcement is 'hugely positive' for the community and will be 'crucial' during future extreme weather events.
'This new generator should be able to kick in in a very short space of time once it's installed, if we are to face any power outages again in the future.
'I know that the lack of water coupled together with the lack of electricity caused huge difficulties for so many people right across our area. As we know, the water treatment plant in Ballinasloe serves several thousand residences, but also supplies water to Portiuncula University Hospital and a number of local nursing homes.
'So it's crucial that we would have a continuity of supply and I'm hopeful now that with the backup generator in place, if we are to face future extreme weather events, we won't see water supplies cut off for days on end like they were back in January.'
In the meantime, a change-over switch was installed at the Ballinasloe plant.
'The change-over switch is essential. That was one of the big issues as well that we faced in January, there wasn't a change-over switch in place, so when we eventually did get a generator on site, it took in excess of 12 hours to get it wired into the water treatment plant to get the plant back up and running, then took another length of time after that,' Cllr Harney said.
The Fine Gael councillor added more is expected to be done to improve Ballinasloe Water Treatment Plant in the near future.
'We do need to see an increase in the overall capacity of the water treatment plant and Uisce Éireann said that they're hoping that that will be progressed in 2026, almost doubling the capacity.'
'It's good and hopefully it will deliver real tangible results for people in my community.'
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