Water Leakage in Ireland - Problem and Solution - Essay Example

Water Leakage Problem in Ireland Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Name Date of Submission Water Leakage Problem in Ireland Introduction Water is one of the most precious natural resource that man need for survival. In fact, it has been argued many times that water is life. This implies that, without water, there would certainly be no life. Water is particularly important because people need it for drinking, cooking and washing among other domestic uses. At the same time, industries also use water for a variety of purposes, including cooling and mixing chemicals, just to name but a few. Despite the importance of water, thousands liters of water is lost through pipe leakages in the world daily. Ireland is one of the countries that are grappling with the problem of water leakage that has resulted in the loss of thousands of liters of water (Davies 2015). Currently, the Irish water authority is struggling with fixing the leaking pipes in various parts of the country. This paper will investigate the water leakage problem in Ireland. In so doing, the paper will examine what caused the water leakage and the resulting problem. The document will proceed to present the best solutions that should be adopted to address the water leakage problem, as well as the measures that should be taken to prevent water leakages in the future. Water Leak Situation in Ireland Water leakage has been a big problem in Ireland. Ireland ranks amongst the countries that experience the highest incidences of water leakages through pipes. According to Flaherty of the Irish Times, Ireland looses about 800 million liters of water every day through leakages (Flaherty 2015). The Irish Water estimates that the amount of water lost through leaks in the country every day can fill about 18 Olympic-sized swimming pools (Flaherty 2015). As at now, more than 30,000 leaks have been identified at various homes throughout Ireland. The Irish government is worried that the situation could get worse in the coming months if no urgent solution is found to address the problem. Some of the regions that are most affected by the leakage include Dublin City, Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West and West. Causes of the Water Leakage in Ireland The problem of water leakage in Ireland is caused by a number of things. According to a report by the Irish Water, most of the water leakages are pre-existing. In this respect, the investigations that have been conducted on the leaking pipes have pointed the problem to emanate from the poor pipe connection by the plumbers (Davies 2015). The authority has noted that, shoddy work by the people responsible for connecting pipes is largely to blame for the leakages. For instance, an investigation conducting in various homes found that internal plumbing problems, such as toilet cisterns is contributing to the leakage of thousands of liters of water every day. Secondly, investigations have also founds that large amounts of water is lost in Ireland through leakages because of old pipe. A survey conducted in various parts of the country found that some pipes were laid several years ago and some have developed rust. As a result, this has contributed to the loss of a significant amount of water. Additionally, leakages occur due to water temperatures, pressure and aggressiveness. Further, leakages result from external pressure exerted on the underground pipes by heavy traffic and freezing among others. Problems Associated With Leaking Water Water is a very precious commodity that no one can do without since people use it for a variety of purposes, including drinking, cooking and washing. Therefore, water that is supplied to the households should always remain clean right from its source. Unfortunately, this is not the case because of the perennial leakages of pipes in Ireland. The leakages of pipes have resulted in the contamination of the waters that are supplied to various homes in Ireland (Flaherty 2015). Accordingly, this has resulted in Irish population acquiring virus, bacteria and fungus that cause the development of serious health problems on the population. There has been increased problem of stomach upset in Ireland, a health problem that health professionals in the country have attributed to contaminated pipe water (Davies 2015). In this respect, it has been noted the leaking pipes allow contaminated water, such as the sewer water to mix with the drinking water. As such, when people drink such contaminated water, they end up consuming bacterial, fungus and viruses that result in the development of different health problems. Among the health problems that have been linked to water contamination in Ireland include typhoid, diarrhea and amoeba. Additionally, drinking contaminated water due to leaks has also been blamed for the increase in the development of unexplained doggy tummies. Secondly, the water leaks are also a problem in the sense that it contributes to water scarcity. As much as water is the most abundant natural resource, it must be conserved and used with care (Lahlou, Wiley and Wilson 2001, p. 1). However, whenever there is leakage, this result in waste of millions of liters of water that could otherwise be put into use. In fact, it is disturbing that some parts of Ireland are experiencing water shortage at a time when large quantities of water are being lost through leaks. For instance, the greater Dublin region has began facing a serious water problem due to large amounts of water being lost due to leakages. The problem is expected to worsen in the next decade if the Irish government fails to address the problem of leaks in the country. Cost is another problem associated with the leaks. Currently, the Irish Water is preparing to start fixing the water leakage problem through repairs, which is expected to cost the country million of Euros. According to Irish Water, the repair works for the over 30,000 leaks that have been identified will cost about €25 million that has already been approved by the Commission of Energy Regulation (Davies 2015). These are monies that could be directed to other useful purposes if water leaks can be prevented. The Irish households are also expected to bear some cost as the Irish Water has categorically stated that each household will be responsible for repairing the leakages that are internal. This is notwithstanding the fact that some of the internal leaks are caused by poor connections by the plumbers and has nothing to do with house owners mistakes. Solution to Ireland’s Water Leakage Water leak is indeed a serious problem in Ireland. As has been elaborated above, water leak not only cost the Irish government billions of Euros, but is also causing serious waterborne diseases. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the Irish Water to find a solution to the problem as fast as possible to reduce the impact that the leakage is having on the Irish households and the economy. Fortunately, the problem of water leaks in Ireland can be solved by adopting a number of strategies. Currently, there are over 30,000 water pipes that are leaking, causing the loss of millions of liters of water. The first and most effective way of solving water leaks is through the installation of water leak detection system. Water leak detection system has proved an effective way of solving the problem of water leak because it the gadgets detects and alerts the water pipe engineers of where the water might be leaking (Faure, Pandit and Spuhler 2007). This allows the operators to fix the problem in the fastest time possible, thereby preventing water loss through leakage. The water leak detection system can also be installed in the homes to help in the detection of plumbing leak and immediately turns of the water and notifies. The use of water leak detection system has helped solve the problem of plumbing leaks in many countries across the globe, including the U.S., U.K. and Germany, where the detection system is widely in use. The other solution is for Irish Water to perform repairs as fast as possible to fix the leaks. For instance, the Irish Water should consider repairing the leaking pipes using clamps, or collars for small leaks (Faure, Pandit and Spuhler 2007). However, Ireland water should consider using advanced methods for repairing large leaks. Some of the techniques that can be used to repair large leaks including replacing the pipes that have developed leaks. For instance, it has been observed that some of the pipes that leak out water in Ireland are due to old age and have developed leaks due to rusting and other natural causes. Therefore, the best way to stop the leakages in such pipes is to replace them with new and stronger pipes that are capable of withstanding high tension and rust resistant. The good thing is that the Irish government through Irish water has already commissioned a repair work as a way of solving the ongoing problem of water leakage. As stated earlier, Irish Water has allocated about €25 million that will be used in the repair works. It is believed that the repairs that will be performed on the pipes will help bring the problem of leakage to a stop. Benefits of Repairs and Detection System as a Solution to Irish Water Leak Problem Although repairs may be costly in terms of cost, there are a number of benefits that can be derived through repairs of pipes. Firstly, repairing the leaking pipes is less expensive compared to installing new pipes. Therefore, Irish Water stands to save a lot of money by repairing the leaking pipes instead of installing new pipes. This is because repairs only target the specific spot where the leakage occurs (Lahlou, Wiley and Wilson 2001, p. 1). Once identified, the leaking section can be clumped to stop the leakage, which is less costly compared to when the entire piping system is replaced. Secondly, repairing the pipes is beneficial in the sense that it will help minimize damages to property (Lahlou, Wiley and Wilson 2001, p. 2). Reports indicate that most Irish households that are affected by the water leakages from pipes have suffered from property damage. Accordingly, this has resulting in a number of lawsuits being filed against Irish Water for negligence and malicious damage to their property by failing to stop the leakages. Therefore, repairing the leaks on time will help prevent damage to property, thus minimizing legal liabilities against Irish Water (Lahlou, Wiley and Wilson 2001, p. 2). Additionally, the repairs on the leaks will help reduce insurance because of few incidences of leakages. Contamination is one of the major problems associated with leaks. As elaborated earlier, when pipes leaks, this might result in the contamination of drinking water with sewerage, thereby resulting in the development of various waterborne diseases. Therefore, repairing the leaking water pipes in the soonest time possible for important since it help prevents the contamination of drinking water with viruses and bacteria from dirty water (Davies 2015). Accordingly, this ensures the promotion of good health of the people at all times. Promoting good health by ensuring that people drink clean water is also beneficial to a country since it help reduce the health care cost that comes with poor health. Prevention of Water Leakage Ireland has suffered a lot because of persistent water leaks from pipes. This is notwithstanding that such leaks can easily be prevented if proper measures are taken by the people concerned with connecting the pipes. The following are the measures that the Irish Water should take to prevent the occurrence of water leaks in the future. Firstly, to prevent the leakages in the future, the Irish water should ensure that the water pipes are properly connected (Lahlou, Wiley and Wilson 2001, p. 1). As noted earlier, poor connection of pipes has been largely to blame for the Irish water leakage. Therefore, the best way to prevent such leaks in the future is to ensure that the pipes are tightly fitted by professional hydraulic service engineers. Some of the pipes leak because they are connected with plumbers that are not well trained on pipe connection (Growing Blue 2012). As a result, they end up making errors that result in water leakage. As such, using professional hydraulic service engineers in connecting the water pipes will help ensure that the pipes are connected properly, thereby preventing water leakage in the future. Secondly, the problem of water leak in Ireland can be prevented by using strong pipes that are capable of withstanding external tension, such as high pressure. A large number of water leaks in Ireland occur due to external tension exerted on the underground pipes. This implies that if weak pipes are used, they could not be able to withstand the tension, such as high water pressure and perennial freezing. As such, the best way for the Irish Water to prevent to occurrence of leakage in the future, the agency must ensure that the pipes that are used for supplying water are of high quality and capable of withstanding external tension that might cause a pipe to develop a crack (Growing Blue 2012). Additionally, because a significant number of water leaks in Ireland are internal and caused by the house owners, preventing future water leakage also require educating the Irish households on how to prevent activities that might cause water leaks. Conclusion Water leak is a major problem in Ireland. The country looses millions of liters of water daily due to pipe leakage. Precisely, Ireland looses about 800 million liters of water through leakage every day. This statistic is disturbing considering that such leakages can be solved or prevented altogether. According to the investigations conducting in the country, it emerged that water leaks in Ireland are attributed to a number of factors, including bursting pipes due to old age and external tension. However, the chief cause has been identified as the poor connection of pipes by the plumbers and engineers. However, it is critical for the Irish government to find amicable solution to the problem considering the problems associated with the pipe leaks. The problems include contamination of drinking water, which causes waterborne diseases, high cost of repairs and the resulting water scarcity. Some of the solutions that the Irish Water should undertake in addressing the problem include using leak detection systems and fixing the leaking pipes. However, because detection and repairs are just temporary solutions, the agency should try to find a permanent solution to the problem by preventing misshapes that cause pipe leakage. The preventing measures include ensuring that water pipes are properly connected by qualified professional engineers, using quality pipes, as well as educating the public to avoid activities that are likely to interfere with pipes. References Davies, M 2015, Dodgy tummy that you can’t explain? It could be because of leaking pipes that contaminate drinking water, experts warn. Daily Mail 8 June, viewed 4 September 2015 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3115498/Dodgy-tummy-t-explain-leaking-pipes-contaminate-drinking-water-experts-warn.html Faure, F., Pandit, M. M., & Spuhler, D 2007, Leakage control, viewed 4 September 2015 http://www.sswm.info/content/leakage-control Flaherty, R 2015, Almost half of Ireland’s water supply is lost through leaks. The Irish Times 13 February, viewed 4 September 2015 http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/almost-half-of-ireland-s-water-supply-is-lost-through-leaks-1.2102787 Growing Blue 2012, Leaks in water distribution systems, viewed 4 September 2015 http://growingblue.com/case-studies/leakages-in-water-distribution-systems/ Lahlou, Z. M., Wiley & Wilson 2001, “Leak detection and water loss control.” Tech Brief, pp. 1-4. Read More