High temperatures in recent weeks as well as ageing pipe infrastructure may have contributed to the burst of a water mains which has left half of Kerry without water.
Ten water tankers were deployed on Wednesday after the 40-year-old 700mm pipe from the Lough Guitane source to the nearby Sheheree Reservoir in Muckross burst for a second time in days. Crews from Kerry County Council worked overnight to contain the water. Supplies were due to be restored by Wednesday evening.
High temperatures of recent days leading to drying out of the ground may have led to the break and combined with ageing infrastructure, said Irish Water's assets operation manager Anna Brosnan. This was a problem nationally, she added.
The tankers were provided in Killarney, Tralee, Castleisland and Farranfore.
Supply in Farranfore has also been disrupted after a separate break there on Friday last. Heavy trucks on the N22 are believed to contributed to the problem. The Farranfore mains pipe has had numerous breaks, and is to be replaced in September, Ms Brosnan told Radio Kerry yesterday.