domingo, 2 de janeiro de 2011

Northern Ireland improving water supply to residents after crisis


Belfast, Northern Ireland (CNN) -- The number of properties lacking running water in Northern Ireland has dwindled to fewer than 1,000, state-funded water company Northern Ireland Water said Sunday.
As of Saturday, the number was about 2,600, the company said. About 45,000 properties may still have limited water supplies Sunday night, compared to 60,000 on Saturday night. The disruption would cut supplies overnight as reservoirs are refilled.
Many customers have been without running water for nearly a week, and some said they have not had water supply for more than 10 days. The shortage was blamed on the bursting of several major water pipes in a rapid thaw that followed record low temperatures last week. The company has said a number of pipes burst when the temperature rose from minus 16 to 10 degrees Celsius (3 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) "within a matter of hours".
The number of customers without water stood at 799 on Sunday, the company said, and 276 have a temporary supply.
Northern Ireland Water has drawn criticism from government officials, who held an emergency meeting on the situation last week. The company's interim chairman, Padraic White, said its response to the "unprecedented situation" was "unacceptable". CNN